


Detroit Evolution Artfest

by Riven_redpaladin



Category: Detroit Evolution - Fandom, Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Detroit Evolution Artfest (Detroit: Become Human), M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 39,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25032118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Riven_redpaladin/pseuds/Riven_redpaladin
Summary: This is a collection of prompts for the Detroit Evolution Artfest. Some chapters will be longer than others and they do not relate to each other chronologically.Huge thank you to my friend Alex, who helped me come up with the ideas for the prompts and proof reading.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Kudos: 25





	1. #Proposal - 4th July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected muscially based proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest.  
> Song is Only Us from Dear Evan Hansen

“Gavin, wake up. Wake up!” Nines repeats as he shakes his sleeping boyfriend trying to wake him from his reoccurring nightmare. With a start, Gavin wakes pulling away from Nines, his breath quick and eyes unaware of his surroundings.

After a few minutes of reassurance from Nines that he is not back in that day, Gavin calms down slowing his breathing to his normal resting pace. As Nines sees Gavin start to calm down, he moves off the bed in one fluid motion walking across the darkened room with the elegance of a ballerina, never once bumping into a piece of furniture or tripping over a piece of clothing left on Gavin’s unorganised bedroom’s floor, and turns on the light.

A blinding brightness fills the room causing Gavin to wince, his eyes not as quick to adjust to the change in light as Nines’. Gavin feels the bed shift underneath him and slowly opens his anime eyes looking up towards Nines.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Nines remarks in his deep soothing tone.

“N-no, it’s ok. Just the same as usual. You don’t need to hear about…that again”

“Gavin, please. Tell me. You need to open up to me. I can’t help if you don’t explain to me what’s wrong. I need to be able to help you. Just let me help you…” Nines spirals into the panicked thoughts of his mind, staring down at his hands. 

As Nines continues to spiral, Gavin starts singing quietly under his breath “I don’t need more reminders of all that’s been broken. I don’t need you to fix what I rather forget.” He reaches a hand across to Nines' now shaking hands "Clear the slate and start over. Try to quiet noises in your head 'cause we can compete with all that" Gavin completes the verse with a slight chuckle while bending his head so that he is looking straight into Nine's eyes. 

He then turns to completely face Nines continuing the song “So what if it’s us? What if it’s us and only us. And what came before won’t count anymore or matter. Can we try that? What if it’s you and what if it’s me and what if that’s all that we needed to be. And the rest of the world falls away. What do you say?”

Hearing their song grounds Nines bringing him out of his panicked stupor. Returning Gavin’s encouraging gaze, he progresses the song “I never thought there’d be someone like you who would want me, so I give you ten thousand reasons to not let me go. But if you really see me if you like me for me and nothing else. Well, that’s all that I wanted for longer than you could possibly know” As Nines continues to sing a bright smile spreads across his face “So it can be us. It can be us and only us. And what came before won’t count anymore or matter. We can try that.”

“It’s not so impossible.” Gavin joins in harmonizing with Nines

“Nobody else but the two of us here.” Nines sings out loudly not caring if any of the neighbours or asshole heard.

“‘Cause you're saying it's possible" Gavin harmonizing again then continues "We can just watch the whole world disappear."

“’Til you’re the only one I still know how to see.” They sing together so completely lost in each other’s eyes that to them the surrounding world actually disappeared.

“It’s just you and me” Nines sings while softly chuckling after a small satisfied pause.

“It’ll be us. It’ll be us and only us. And what came before won’t count anymore” Gavin continues then Nines harmonizes “We can try that. You and me. That’s all that we need it to be and the rest of the world falls away. And the rest of the world falls away…The world falls away; the world falls away and it’s only us.”

As their last note hung in the air, Gavin slides off the side of the bed landing on one knee still holding Nine’s hand “So, can it just be you and me? Will you marry me Nines?”

Startled Nines replies “Why now?”

With the most genuine smile, Nines has ever seen on his face, Gavin answers “Because, even though you were spiralling, you were doing it out of caring for me. I have never had anyone care that much for me and in that moment, I realised I didn’t want to let you walk out of my life. So, what’s it to be?”

"Yes, Gavin. It’s a yes!” Nines responds with tears welling up in his eyes.

Gavin suddenly realises something and looks around him laughing quietly “I don’t have a ring.”  
“And I’m in my knee-length socks.” Nines sarcastically retorts joining in with Gavin’s laughter  
“I hate you.” 

“You love me.” Nines replies leaning towards Gavin, who then closes the gap and kisses him gently.


	2. Western Au - 5th July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During a nighttime food raid, Nines and Gavin find a mysterious present.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 5 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest
> 
> Adapted from The Penumbra Podcast episode “Merry Christmas, Mary Anne”. I would really recommend listening to this excellent, LGBTQ+ representation filled podcast especially if you like noir-style stories.

The silvery glow of the wintery Christmas eve moon shines down upon two gentlemen wading through the snow-covered path on their way to the nearby town. One was a well-known bandit nicknamed ‘The Coyote’, whose real name is Gavin Reed. The other was a gentleman called Nines Reed, who was a detective turned outlaw through his misadventures with the former. The two had met and fallen in love due to a kidnapping mishap and now live together in a rundown shack in the painted plains with a large clutter of cats and Asshole, Gavin’s horse.

" Ah, all this snow. I don’t see why we had to leave Asshole at home while we stomp around in the snow like a couple of caribou!” Nines exclaims exasperated.

“Gesundheit, Tincan.” Gavin retorts.

“And leaving the children alone on a night like this…”

“They ain’t alone. Ada’s with them, ain’t she?” Gavin interrupts giving Nines’ hand a reassuring squeeze.

“But Ada’s only just turned deviant, Gavin.” Nines responds giving Gavin a concerned look.

“Perfect time to learn some management skills. Watch out for the ice there!” warns Gavin.

“Watch out for the…” Nines screams in fear as he inelegantly slips on the ice falling into Gavin’s secure arms.

Gavin leans down and whispers into Nines’ ear, “Caught ya.”

“My, so you have.” Nines responds flabbergasted. 

Both of them broken down into fits of giggles continuing to hike towards the town, which was finally seeming to be quite close.

“Come on. Dinner ain’t gonna steal itself.” Gavin pronounces, determination clear in his voice.

Nines stops in his tracks looking unsure, “Oh, I don’t know, Gavin. It doesn’t seem right stealing…”

“Stealing?” Gavin interrupts looking back at Nines annoyed, “Well, of course, you’re gonna steal you’re a bandit now, Nines.” 

“Stealing is not what I meant and you know it” counters Nines taken aback by Gavin’s tone, “Stealing people’s dinners on Christmas eve.”

“Oh, they’ll find other food. I didn’t pick anyone who wouldn’t survive” Gavin said shoving off Nines’ concerns, motioning to continue their journey.

“Gavin!” Nines scolded but started following again.

“What do you want our little ones to do, starve?!” Gavin irritatedly replied continuing without looking at Nines, “Look, I’m sorry but when it starts getting cold like this. When the snow starts coming down out here.” gesturing at the snow currently falling and already accumulated on the frozen ground around them, “You learn to take care of your own and let everyone figure their own selves out. I’d let the little ones eat my own foot before I’d let them go hungry.”

“I’m slightly concerned you mean that, Gavin”

“The little ones can only eat canned beans for so many nights.” Gavin continues his explanation determined for Nines to see his point of view, “They need a big Christmas dinner. Show ‘em everything’s ok. We’ll worry about the rest of the world when the world thaws. For now, we take care of our own, ok?” Gavin finishes his rant looking for conformation from Nines, who had now caught up with him and was walking in stride with him.

“Well, that was better thought out than I excepted.” Nines jokingly prodded, gently nudging Gavin’s shoulder.

“You know I like to keep you on your toes, Tincan.” Gavin retorts while rolling his eyes, “Now cut out the hollering the house is just ahead. You remember the plan?”

They approach a mediocre-looking house on the outskirts of the town. All of the lights in the house are put out signifying that the family inside were mostly likely sleeping peacefully waiting for Christmas to arrive. However, having done reconnaissance earlier in the week, Gavin knew that the family never locked their door leading to their kitchen. 

“You go in and raid the pantry. I’m gonna stand lookout by the door.” Nines recalls having been told it millions of times before, “Good luck Gavin.”

“Meh, I don’t need it” Gavin off-handedly responded, blowing a kiss which then turned into him flipping Nines off before quickly but quietly disappearing into the house.  
~~~  
Nines was getting ever colder having been standing out in the snow for what seemed like forever. He sighed “Cold, so cold. Be a good lookout Nines Reed, Meatsack is counting on you. He takes care of you so well, you have to take care of him. AH! It will be easier to take care of him it is weren’t so cold!” 

Suddenly, Nines hears distressed mewing coming from an alleyway just around the corner from the house that he was currently guarding “What in the world?! That couldn’t be.” He looked around him to check if the coast was clear debating whether to go and check for the source of the noise. After a few minutes of the continuing mewing, he decides to go investigate “It’ll only take a minute to check I suppose, just a minute.” He reassures himself.

Nines slowly creeps around the corner looking to the alleyway to find what seemed to be a bundle of blankets. “What in the world? A bundle in the snow.” He edges closer looking into the bundle “Oh my word, it’s a kitten!” 

He was about to pick the kitten up when he hears the voices of two men in the distance but seeming to be getting closer by the second. “Oh no, Gavin! Oh no, oh no.” Nines panics turning back towards the house “Have to help Gavin but…” Nines turns back looking at the kitten, who was still letting out distressed mews. Gavin’s words from earlier rushed into Nines’ head “take care of our own. Another mouth to feed. Oh, he’d be so angry, so angry. He just said.”

“Ya hear that?!” One of the male voices shouted to the other.

In a split-second decision, Nines turns back to the kitten calling to it “No time! Come here you. Into my coat, that’s it.” Then runs to the house he was supposed to be guarding, the kitten sitting snuggly in his coat pocket. He quickly sticking his head through the doorway calling out “Gavin, Gavin come quickly!”

The same masculine voice from earlier echoed down the street “Hey, who’s that by Parson place?”

“Gavin, we have to go!” Nines screams again, only to have the door slammed open in front of him with Gavin sprinting out of the house food piled up in his arms.

From close behind them they hear a voice exclaims “What in the Sam Hill?” 

“Run Nines!” Gavin shouts back as he continues to run through the outskirts of the town towards what hopefully would be a hiding spot.

Then the second voice Nines heard earlier has a realisation “Dang it, I know him. It’s the damn Coyote from the posters.” The man then shouts at the top of the voice “Police! Police! He’s gotta gun god damn it, a gun!”

They continue to run through the narrow alleys of the outskirts of the town with the sound of the alarm bells echoing over their heads. Nines is barely able to keep up with Gavin’s quickening pace until he dives into a tattered looking barn just outside the boundary of the town pulling Nines in with him.

They both sit with their backs against a mountain of bailed hay catching their breaths after what seemed like a marathon.

“Gavin, do ya think we’re really safe?”

“Safe as we’re gonna be”

“Well, I’m glad you found this barn for us to hide in. But I still don’t understand why you can’t just call Asshole!” Nines exclaims frustrated at the whole situation.

“ ’Cause Asshole is just what they’re looking for Nine. They want us to ride out now. Doing a fool thing like that is just how they’re gonna catch us!” Gavin snaps irritated by how Nines still didn’t get the threat. 

Gavin takes a deep breath, calming himself “Look, sorry I snapped. Tensions high and all that.”  
Nines looks at Gavin lovingly “I understand.”

“But it was real exciting, wasn’t it?” Gavin comments with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“It was?” Nines replies unsurely. One look at Nines’ now very confused expression caused Gavin to fall into a fit of laughter pulling Nines down with him.

Unfortunately, just heard over the two boy’s laughter a yowling could be heard taking them by surprise.

“What in the world was that!” Gavin exclaimed looking around for the source of the unusual noise.

“Oh, it was..ah not. I mean, it wasn’t anything. I mean…” Nines stammers trying to pull a feasible explanation for the source out of thin air.

“No, shh, shh, shh. Listen.” Gavin said putting a hand over the still stammering mouth of Nines.  
Nines shoves Gavin’s hand off his face. “Shh?! Why would I shh. You can’t tell me to shh. You bandit. You cad, mannerless, uncouth, unclear, untoward, un…un…” Nines crumbled into crocodile tears.

“Nines?” Gavin asked voice coated with concern

Nines sniffles “It was me. That noise. I was crying, Gavin. Because I was so scared, and it wasn’t anything else at all. It was just…I was just scared, Gavin. Scared” Continuing to cry.

Gavin comforts Nines trying his best to stop him from crying “Shhh, shhh, now Nines, shh. It’s alright, I’m here now. It’s safe. We made it.

Nines looks up at Gavin, stopping crying and smiling “Well, that does make me glad.”

“Good now come here for a…” Gavin says softly, leaning towards Nines.

Nines suddenly pulls back “But my, it is chilly in here, isn’t it?” He exclaims, rubbing his hands on his arms for extra impact, “Gavin, do you think that you could get that old horse blanket over there for me?” Nines points to a blanket on the other side of the barn.

Gavin gives Nines a confused look “But there’s one right here.” He comments pointing at the nearby blanket.

“Yes! Yes, but I want that one. Please, Gavin.” Nines begs, giving Gavin his best puppy dog eyes.

“Well alright, Nines. If you say so” Gavin concedes. He then stands, stretches out his sore limbs and starts walking over towards the horse blanket that Nines insisted he needs to retrieve.

As soon as Nines recons that Gavin was out of earshot, he opens his coat pocket and picks the kitten up. He looks at the kitten and in a stern tone starts scalding the kitten, who was currently purring in his hands. “Oh, now you listen here. You will cooperate do you understand. Gavin has made it very clear that we are only to look after ourselves…another mouth to feed, to impose on him like that…don't you take that tone with me.” Nines is drawn into the deep abyss of the kitten’s eyes “Those big, precious black eyes will only get you so far. It’s very, very far isn’t it? You cute little…”

Nines is brought back to reality by Gavin shouting from the other side of the barn “This the one you mean?”

Nines turns his head around looking at the blanket “Yes! I mean no! That’s not the one I meant. I meant…that one.” He exclaims point at another blanket in the opposite corner of the barn from Gavin. 

“Really!” Gavin responds not fully believing Nines’ response “Oh alright, I’ll go get that god damn blanket.”

Nines turns back to the kitten “Now, how am I supposed to keep ya a secret.” The kitten starts purring more intensely “Well, that’s no help at all. Maybe it won’t be so bad. I’ll just keep you hidden for a while. There’s are so many children, Gavin will never notice. I’ll just hide you in my coat until your old enough to hide on your own, that’s all. Shouldn’t be so hard to hide a kitten in your coat for a few years. Oh, little boy, what am I gonna do with you.”

“Do with who, Tincan?” Gavin’s voice appeared from behind Nines causing him to yelp in surprise, which in turn causes the kitten to start yowling again.

Gavin looks around Nines back at the now crying kitten “Oh well, who is this here?” Gavin asks looking directly at Nines.

“Nobody. Nobody at all. It’s..it’s…it’s...it’s just a ghost…a snowcat…a snowkitten…a…” Nines stutters running out of any feasible excuse for why he had a kitten in his hands.

Gavin smiles and turns his attention to the still yowling kitten “Don’t sound like any snowkitten I ever met. What’s your name little one?” Gavin asks the kitten, who just cries in response, “Yowl? Never heard that one before. Gavin Reed, pleasure.”

Nines looks up and pleads “Gavin, don’t be angry at me. I found him out in the snow, and I know you said that we had to take care of our own. That we rarely have enough to take care of our own but…”

Gavin shhs Nines putting a comforting hand onto his shoulder “Nines. It’s alright, I’ve got nothing to be mad about, you didn’t do nothing wrong.”

“But you said…” Nines confused asks

“Take care of our own right?” Gavin interrupts, picking up the kitten. “But tell me Tincan, you looked into this boy’s eyes yet? Really looked?” Gavin smiles at the now purring kitten, falling even more in love with him with every second.

“Gavin, I don’t…” Nines responds even more confused.

“Well take a look then” Gavin comments turning the kitten so Nines can see directly into its eyes. “See here, that golden glint in that little fella’s eyes. Like a little fleck of gold peeking out of snow.”

“I suppose”

“Well, that’s got bandit written all over it. I reckon this little one is one of ours. Reckon he was since the day he was born.” Gavin finished nuzzling his face up against the kitten, which earned extra purrs.

“But? Oh, Gavin. I was so worried” Nines sighs coming to a realisation.

“No reason to worry Nines. I love you.”

“I love you too, Gavin. How…How long have you known about him?” Nines asks chuckling.  
“Oh? From the second you pulled him out of the snow outside the Parson’s place. Saw his little tail peeking out of your coat pocket when I ran out of the house.”

“You low down, no-good…” Gavin interrupts Nines' train of curses with his hearty laugh.

“I would have told you, but I thought you were keeping him a surprise. My own little Christmas present all bundled up.” Gavin explains will smiling fondly at the kitten.

“That…that is what he is, is he?” Nines matches Gavin’s smile and in the silence that fills the air, a bell could be heard tolling.

Panicking Nines exclaims “The alarms! Not the alarms again!”

Gavin listens “Don’t think so. Think that might just be the time. Must be midnight by now. Merry Christmas Nines.” 

“Merry Christmas Gavin” Nines replies sweetly, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did just write a Christmas story in July.


	3. #Amnesia - 6th July

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 6 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest
> 
> I am sorry for any tears this may cause.

“You ready to go?” Nines asked Gavin across the car, which was barely light by the streetlight situated just in front of where they had parked. 

“As always.” Gavin sarcastically replied while checking his pistol was loaded.

“You won’t need to use that, Gavin!” Nines scolded, “We’re just going in there and talking to these people.” Nines explained pushing himself off the hood of Gavin’s immaculate car. Gavin rolled his eyes but followed Nines anyway however as soon as he stood up something didn’t feel right. With this strange feeling still propagating through his body, Gavin looked around him and Nines but didn’t find anything untoward.

After walking across the ghost town of a car park, the two reached the warehouse’s door. The door was cut out of a large sheet of worn-down steel barely keeping its original red paint beneath the never-ending layers of rust that had built up over the years of neglect and abandonment. Nines confidently knocked on the door, the metallic bangs barely heard over him projecting “Open up, Detroit Police!”. The two waited for a bit with no answer coming from the other side of the door. The only sign that there was anyone was the sound of scuffling feet and someone tripping over and faceplanting.

Gavin gave Nines a worried look drawing his gun and curtly said, “Stay behind me.”

“Got it.” Replied Nines taking a few steps backwards so that he was staying behind Gavin’s smaller stature.

With a swift kick and a loud bang, the already beaten up door flew open. Gavin crept forwards, with Nines sticking close behind him, checking left and right as he walked through the door into the almost pitch-black warehouse. The two detectives continued down the aisle between two floor-to-ceiling storage racks that had fallen into disrepair, the smell of mildew invading their senses making Gavin want to gag.

“Where is everyone?” Gavin asked Nines in a hushed worried tone.

“They must be in her somewhe-” A crash sounded from behind Nines startling them both causing them to whip around but all they found was the remains of a rotting wooden crate that seemingly had slipt off the top shelf of the rack.

“A rat must have knocked it off or something. Yeah, i-it was a rat.” Gavin tried but failed to reassure himself. 

Carrying on down their path more cautiously, Gavin and Nines reached a junction between them and another set of racks. Gavin poked his head out checking either side of him and when the coasted seemed to be clear he stepped out turning left. 

“Gav-!” He faintly heard Nines shout from behind just before he felt a ton of bricks landed on him causing his knees to crumple under him. Gavin looked up for a millisecond to see a person with a black bandana covering the lower half of their face, their animalistic eyes boring into his before the world went black and the only sensation was the aching on the side of his head.

Nines rushed forward and tried to grab the arm of the miscreant, who slipped out of his grasp and ran into the darkness that surrounded them. He went to take a step forward to follow their target but stopped suddenly realising that he hadn’t heard a peep from his usually quippy partner. He looked down only to see Gavin’s motionless body on the ground the only sign that he was still alive, the slow rising and falling of his chest. 

“Gav-“ Nines stuttered falling to the ground next to his partner, tears welling up in his eyes “Gavin, wake up. Wake up. Please Gavin, just wake up!” He repeated panicking, shaking Gavin’s shoulder. Realising that Gavin was not waking up, Nines picked his unconscious body up and rushed out of the warehouse carrying him bridal style constantly checking his vitals.  
~~~  
“Would you please sit down Nines. You’re making me dizzy.” Tina commented trying to calm the still pacing Nines.

“How can I just sit down when Gavin is in there all by himself. He could be in pain or scared or… I don’t know. Why haven’t they told us anything? We’ve been waiting for so long and they still haven’t told us anything. That means something’s seriously wrong doesn’t it.” Nines monologued, his pacing increasing in speed the more he spiralled.

Tina sighed, stood up from her bottom numbing plastic chair and walked over to Nines putting comforting hands on his shoulder. She then led him over to the chair next to the chair that she claimed as her own and sat him down while sitting down in herself. Tina finished situating Nines by wrapping a comforting arm around his shoulder in part to support him and also to try and keep Nines in one place.

“It’s gonna be ok. Gavin is going to be ok. Just relax Nines, they’ll be out soon with some answers.”

After a few more minutes, a doctor walked out of the doors leading to the forbidden corridors. The doctor then walked over to Tina and Nines and introduced herself “Sorry to be meeting you at a time like this. I am Dr Ortiz. You’re here for Detective Gavin Reed correct?” Nines nodded curtly in reply.

“Ok. At the moment in time Detective Reed is still unconscious but we believe he will regain consciousness soon. We have done some imaging to investigate if there is anything more untoward happening after his accident and we have not found anything that is worrying so far but there are a few things that we won’t know about until he has regained consciousness. Firstly is the severity of the after-effects of his concussion, which shouldn’t be too hard to manage, and secondly is if he has any retrograde amnesia, which I believe there is a low chance of him having” Dr Ortiz explained dutifully keeping eye contact with Nines the whole time.  
“Now, shall we go through to Gavin’s room.” Dr Ortiz then turned on her heels and started leading the way.

“Yes, please.” Nines replied jumping up from his seat and following closely behind Dr Ortiz with Tina just behind him.

The group travelled down the never-ending corridors at a steady pace. Nines at each turning and doorway hoped that the maze would come to an end. When the maze end, Dr Ortiz stopped at the door turned to look at Nines and Tina and said “I’ll leave you guys with Gavin. He should be awake soon. When he does regain consciousness remain calm and reassure him that he is safe. Then if you call one of the nurses over so that we can do some tests.” She then left to continue her rounds.

Nines takes a tentative step forward towards the door not knowing what would meet him on the other side. He slowly opened the door and was met with the sight of Gavin’s unconscious body lying on a hospital bed, IV drip attached to his arm and a soft beeping in the background. Nines quickened his pace into the room with tears welling up in his eyes. He pulled a chair up to Gavin’s bed taking his hand silently hoping Gavin would wake up soon. Tina wordlessly followed Nines standing in the far corner to give Nines the room that he needed.

After what seemed like an eternity of suffocating silence, Nines found the courage to speak his voice cracking with the overwhelming emotions “Come on Gavin, we’ve waited long enough. Please wake up, you’ve had enough beauty sleep. Just open your eyes, I really need to see your beautiful anime eyes.” He finished with a stifled chuckle. 

As the silence once again settled over the room, the now tuned out beeping suddenly started quickening and Gavin’s eyelid started flickering. Nines gasped slightly and sat up in his chair.   
“Gavin! Come on, it’s time to wake up. You’re safe. You are in hospital with me and Tina. You’re ok, everything’s ok. Come on just open your eyes, you can do that. Please meat sack.” After hearing Nines say her name, Tina pushed herself off the wall and walked over to the other side of the bed from where Nines was sitting. 

Just as Nines finished his last sentence, Gavin groaned and opened his eyes flinching at first with how bright the room around him was. After his eyes had adjusted to the light level, he looked around and saw Tina and a random android next to his bed…wait his hospital bed. ‘What happened?’ he thought confused.

“Morning detective, did you have a nice sleep? I’m glad that you’re ok though I wouldn’t have missed your sarcastic remarks.” Nines sarcastically commented and a wide smile across his face happy to have his partner back.

Gavin turned his head to look at Nines as he spoke, his face suddenly twisting from confusion to rage when he realised that this android was holding his hand. With tremendous speed, he snatched his hand from the android’s grasp then turned to Tina and spoke in a scandaled but fearful tone “Tina, what is happening and why is _that _tincan speaking to me like we’ve known each other for years. I’ve never met him in my life!”__

__Nines stood up knocking over the chair. Tears streamed down his face as he mumbled under his breath “No, no. This…this can’t be happening. I can’t lose him.” While he stumbled out of the room into the corridor where he slid down the wall bringing his knees to his chest._ _

__Tina took a second to check where Nines had situated himself before turning back to Gavin and explained in a soothing tone “You were on a case when you were knocked out by a suspect. You are at the hospital. I'm just going to go inform the nurses that you have woken up.”_ _

__Tina then left the room and informed one of the nearby nurses of the update in Gavin’s condition, who then went into Gavin’s room to before some more tests. Tina then walked over to where Nines was still sitting curled in on himself and sat down on the floor next to him with her arm wrapped around his shoulder. She whispered to him reassuringly “The nurses are checking him over right now and they’ll tell us what is happening. We’ll get through this together and we’ll get our Gavin back no matter how long it’ll take. I promise and you know that I never go back on my promises.” Nines nodded in response, sniffled and then stood up leaning against the same wall while waiting for any news from the nurses and doctors._ _

__After a few more minutes of waiting, Dr Ortiz came over to Tina and Nines with a solemn look on her face. “I’m sorry to say that Gavin is suffering from retrograde amnesia and he, as he as informed us himself, doesn’t remember anything since the resolution of the android revolution. This does not mean that he will never regain his memory but it will take time and a lot of support from you guys. I will give you exercises to do with him to help regain the lost memories when we release him but for now, we are keeping him here for another 24 hours for observation. You can stay if you wish.” She explained before dismissing herself to go back to her work._ _

__Tina turned to Nines to see a shocked expression and a single tear running down his face. “I will stay here with Gavin but I think, just for now, maybe you should give Gavin some space just until he has regained enough of his memory, you know. You should go home and get some rest Nines. I’ll keep you informed about Gavin’s conditions. Remember what I promised.” Tina finished with a small smile._ _

__Nines nodded solemnly before walking home in the torrential rain. When he arrived back what was his and Gavin’s apartment he went straight to bed where he cried himself to sleep missing the warmth from another human sleeping next to him.  
~~~   
The next day Gavin was released from the hospital and Tina was informed that using photographs and stories could help with regaining his memories. Tina decided that it was best for now that Gavin stayed over at her house and informed Nines of the decision, who agreed with her._ _

__Over the next few weeks, Tina worked with Gavin to regain his memory but never touching on his and Nines love not wanting to overwhelm him. Using photos that she and Chris had sneakily taken of him and Nines while they were working or loudly flirting._ _

__With each photo that Tina showed Gavin, memories would come flooding back. The first day he and Nines were partnered up, the hissy fit he threw to Fowler about Nines and the banter he had with Nines, who gave and good as he got but something seemed to be missing. It felt like his memories were missing a puzzle piece._ _

__After the first few days, Nines would come over every so often to tell Gavin about different cases they had worked on together. Each time Nines came over he looked more and more ragged and worn out. Every time Gavin would ask him through their usual banter, which Nines took as a good sign, if he was ok to which Nines would respond “Yeah, I’m just tired from overworking”. This was an almost daily occurrence until one day when Nines had had enough so he responded_ _

__“No, actually I’m not ok. I just…I just need you to remember. I need you. I need you to come back, Gavin. You were the absolute goddamn worst to me when we met. Chris and Tina tool bets on how long it’d take for us to kill each other. But I…I stuck through it. I gave you as much shit as you gave me and eventually, you stopped doing it to piss me off and did it…you did it ‘cause it was just what we do. You are my partner, you are my best friend and you are this force in my life that I can’t live without. I don’t want to go back. I can’t go back to being without you. Come back to me, Gavin.”_ _

__As soon as Nines finished a tidal wave of memories crashed through his mind. Jericho, the nightmare and the morning after, Ada and the damage she caused, Nines in a coma at cyberlife, his confession of love and the kiss. The kiss just echoed kept echoing round his mind._  
Gavin turned to look at Nines, who was sitting on the sofa behind just staring at his hands shaking hands, with a single tear running down his face. He tentatively walked over to the sofa and sat down next to Nines. Gavin slowly reached over, took one of Nines hands and directed two of his fingers to feel his pulse on his wrist while he did the same on Nines’ wrist. He then, with his other hand, got Nines to look at him and slowly leaned in and kiss him. The kiss has the kind of kiss that felt like it was going to last the rest of their lives but eventually Gavin need to breathe.   
When they separated Nines said still slightly chocked up “ I hate you.”  
To which Gavin responded with a slight chuckle “You love me.” They then sat there for the rest of the day Nine’s head resting on Gavin’s shoulder, their hands, one white and tanned, still intertwined._


	4. Time Loop - 7th July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nines and Gavin live in a world where the things that go bump in the night are real and so they have taken it upon themselves to start saving people and hunting things.
> 
> An average-case in a small town in Broward country, Fl, takes an unexpected and quite disastrous twist.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 7 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest. 
> 
> Adapted from the Supernatural episode "Mystery Spot" S3 Ep11.

“Carry on my wayward son. There’ll be peace when you are done.” Rung in Nines’ head as he wakes with a start his LED spinning yellow as he processes what song he is hearing before returning to its usual blue. He turns his head to see Gavin sitting on the other bed in their adequate motel room dressed in his usual attire of a hooded jacket, green v-neck t-shirt and black jeans tying up his boots.

“Rise and shine, Tincan!” Gavin states seeming over-excited.

Dude, Kansas?” Nines replies questioning Gavin’s music taste.

“Come on, you love this song and you love it.”

“Yeah, and if I ever hear it again, I’m going to kill myself” Nines mocks sarcastically.

In retaliation, Gavin leans over to the radio turning the volume up. “What? Sorry, I can’t hear you” He then starts dancing and mouthing along to the song getting up to brush his teeth. Nines shakes his head chuckling at the ridiculousness of his partner and stands up getting ready to start the day.

Once he finished getting ready, Nines walks over and leans against the wall next to the door of their room staring at Gavin, who is now continuously gargling mouthwash loudly. His LED turns yellow disgusted by Gavin’s behaviour.

After a few more seconds of gargling, Gavin spits out the mouthwash and starts searching for something in the mess of the room.

“Whenever you’re ready, Gavin” Nines comments getting frustrated at Gavin’s inability to be organised.

Gavin continues looking, digging through a pile of laundry on a coffee table, “Ah!” Gavin pulls out his pistol from the pile “Bingo. Now, who’s ready for some breakfast?”

Nines turns around and walks out of the room with Gavin following close behind. They head to a local diner for breakfast.

~~~  
The boys walked into the local diner. In the diner, there are only customers. Nines and Gavin passed a very elderly, fragile-looking man paying for his food at the cashier.

“Drive safely no, Mr Pickett.” The cashier comments as he hands some change over to the man.

“Yeah, yeah.” Mr Pickett dismisses as he turns and leaves the diner.

The boys carry on into the diner towards a table in the middle of it, passing a counter where three other customers are sitting. Two are middle-aged businessman – one balding while the other having a full head of hair – in suits having their breakfast before heading off to work. The balding businessman drinking a chocolate milkshake while the other is enjoying pancakes with maple syrup. The final customer sitting at the counter is a run down looking, mid 20s aged man with tatter clothes. The waitress in the diner walks up to him stating “Can’t stay unless you order something, Cal. You know the rules.”

“Some coffee” The young man, Cal, replied reluctantly handing over some money.

When Gavin and Nines reach their booth, Gavin sighs while sitting down looking at the menu board opposite them. “Hey. Tuesday. Pig ‘n a poke.”

“Do you even know what that is?” Nines questions as the waitress walks over to their table.

“Are you boys ready?” The waitress asks.

“Yes! I’ll have the special, a side of bacon, and a coffee” Gavin replies quickly.

“Make it 2 coffees” Nines adds, knowing that Gavin always felt awkward eating on his own and intends to give Gavin his coffee.

“You got it.” The waitress says walking away from the table to hand in the order.

Gavin turns to look at Nines stating “I’m telling you, Tincan. This job is small-fry. We should be spending our time hunting down Ada.” Ada having just stolen an artefact that was once the boys.

“Okay, sure. Let’s get right on that. Where is she again?” Nines retorts sarcastically

“Shut up.”

“Look. Believe me, I want to find her as bad as you do. In the meantime, we have this.” Nines reassures Gavin producing a tablet from his jacket putting it on the table.

“All right, do this professor…”

“Dexter Hasselback,” Nines confirms, his LED turning yellow, “he was passing through town last week when he vanished.

“Last known location?”

“His daughter says he was on his way to visit the Broward County Mystery Spot.” Nines answered, swiping to the Mystery Spot’s leaflet on the tablet.

Gavin looks at the slogan on the tablet “Where the laws of physics have no meaning?” He looks up at Nines with a confused expression which Nines returns.

The waitress returns to their table interrupting their conversation “Two coffees, black, and some hot sauce for the…” The hot sauce falls off her tray and smashes on the floor. “Whoops. Crap! Clean up!” The waitress curses walking away from the table as Nines and Gavin give each other a look that says ‘Well, that happened’ and Gavin continues drinking his coffee.

~~~  
Gavin and Nines walk down the street outside the diner continuing their conversation about the missing professor. As they pass a Golden Retriever tied up to a bike stand, it starts barking catching Gavin’s attention.

“Nines, you know places like this are only tourists traps, right?” Taking the tablet that Nines is engrossed in. “I mean, you know, balls rolling uphill, furniture nailed to the ceiling. The only danger is to your wallet.”

“Ok, I’m just saying there are spots in the world where hole open up and swallow people…the Bermuda Triangle, the Oregon Vortex…”

“Broward County Mystery Spot?” Gavin interrupts sceptically.

“Well, sometimes these places are legit.” Nines insists.

“All right, so if it is legit,” Gavin concedes “and that’s a big ass if. What’s the lore.”

“Well…” Nines starts as a young lady, with blonde hair, holding some posters bumps into Gavin and excuses herself. Gavin continues to look at her as they continued to walk, trying to work out what the lady was holding. “The lore’s pretty freaking nuts, actually. I mean they say places the magnetic fields are so strong that they can bend space-time. Sending victims no one knows where.” Nines finishes getting enthused.

“Sounds a little “X-files” to me.”

As the boys pass two movers trying and failing to fit a desk through the front door of an apartment, they hear them arguing.

“I told ya it wouldn’t fit.” One of them says only to be replied with “What do you want, a Pulitzer?” from the other.

Nines continues “Look, I’m not saying it is really happening. But if it is, we got to check it out, see if we can do something.”

“All right, all right. We’ll go tonight after they close, get ourselves a nice, long look.”

They walk off towards their motel room to get ready for their investigation tonight.

~~~  
Gavin slowly pushes open the door to the Mystery Spot and creeps in with Nines close on his tail. They stepped into a narrow corridor lit in green light with a black swirl going around the room. They carry on into the main room of the attraction.

“Wow. Uncanny.” Gavin comments pointing at the furniture that is nailed to the ceiling.

Gavin starts wandering around the room looking for any clues while Nines scanned it trying to see if there was anything untoward.

“Find anything?” Gavin asks.

“No.”

“Do you have any idea what you’re looking for?”

“Uh…yeah,” Nines responds unconfidently, looking at Gavin, who gave him a questioning look. “No.” Nines corrects himself dejectedly.

Gavin shakes his head and sighs. Both boys carry on searching around for clues but something didn’t feel right to Nines. It felt like something or someone was watching them. With his LED flickering red, Nines looks around but sees nothing.

Suddenly from behind them, the boys hear “What the hell are you doing here?” Nines and Gavin turn around with a start while Gavin draws his gun and Nines LED turning red. They see a middle-aged man, the owner, wearing a Hawaiian t-shirt shaking holding a shotgun pointed at them.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. We can explain.” Gavins calmly says, showing his palms as a sign he’s not going to shot.

“Are you robbing me?” The owner asks moving the shotgun so that it was pointing at Nines.

“Look, nobody’s robbing you. Calm down.” Nines responded urgently, while Gavin moves slowly to put his gun down on a table next to him.

“Don’t move. Don’t move.”

“I’m putting the gun down,” Gavin responds only to be cut off by the sound of a gunshot.

“Gavin!” Nines screams running to Gavin’s body “Call 911.”

“I-I didn’t mean…” The owner stutters stuck to the spot.

“Now!” Nines demands stirring the owner from his stupor. The owner runs to get a phone.

Nines looks back at Gavin, who was struggling to breathe “Hey. Hey. Oh. No, no, no, no, not like this.” He mutters under his breath as Gavin’s body went limp in his arms.

“Gavin.” Nines cries closing his eyes.

Nines’ eyes fly open as he shot up in bed as ‘Carry On My Wayward Son’ rang in his ears again. His LED still red quickly changes to yellow when he turns to see Gavin sitting on his bed in the exact same clothes as before, tying his boots up again.

“Rise and shine, Tincan!” Gavin over-excitedly states again.

Nines’ LED stays yellow as he realises that Gavin said the exact same thing as before.

“Dude, Kansas” Gavin says mistaking Nines’ LED colour.

“Gavin?” Nines mutters, very confused with what’s happening.

“Oh, come. You love this song and you know it” Gavin says, not picking up on Nines’ confusion while turning up the volume of the music and dancing and mouthing along. Gavin stands up walking over to sink in the room to brush his teeth.

Nines gets up from his bed slowly utterly confused and starts getting ready for the day. Once he finishes getting ready, Nines leans up against the same wall as he did before and looks over to Gavin who was again continuously gargling mouthwash.

After a few seconds, Gavin notices Nines staring in the mirror and realises that his LED was still yellow. Gavin turns around giving Nines a concerned smile “You all right?”

“No. I think I…” Nines stutters not knowing if he should explain what happened “Man, I had a weird dream.”

Gavins gives Nines a small smile “Yeah? Clowns or spiders?” Nines sighs and shakes his head returning Gavin’s smile, his LED returning back to blue.

~~~  
Nines and Gavin walk into the same local diner for breakfast. As they walk to the middle booth, Nines notices that everything is the same. Mr Pickett paying for his meal, Cal being told to order something and the two businessmen, one drink a milkshake and the other eating pancake and maple syrup.

Gavin sits down and looks at the menu board and states “Hey. Tuesday. Pig ‘n a poke.”

As soon as Nines hears that his LED turns yellow getting more on edge “It’s a Tuesday?” he asks.

“Yeah,” Gavin responds getting slightly confused.

“Are you boys ready?” Asks the waitress as she walks over to the boy’s table.

Gavin immediately responds “Yes! I’ll have the special, side of bacon, and a coffee.”

“Uh, nothing for me. Thanks.” Nines answers getting a concerned look from Gavin.

“Let me know if you change your mind.” The waitress expresses as she walks away to place the order.

“I’m telling you Tincan. This job is small-fry. We should be spending our time hunting down Ada.” Gavin starts then realises that Nines isn’t paying attention but is actually looking around them extremely confused “Hey,” he snaps his fingers “You with me?”.

“What?” Nines responds absentmindedly.

“You sure you feel okay?” Gavin asks in a concerned tone, noting how Nines’ LED was still yellow.

“You don’t…” Nines stutter as Gavin gives him a confused look “You don’t remember any of this?”

Gavin’s expression becomes even more confused “Remember what?”

“This. Today. Like…like it has…like it has happened before?”

“You mean like déjà vu?” Gavin asks confidently certain that he got what Nines was asking but Nines just shakes his head and states,

“No. Like it’s really happened before.”

Gavin retorts in a deadpan tone “Yeah. Like déjà vu.”

“No. Forget about déjà vu.” Nines shuts Gavin down getting frustrated that Gavin isn’t taking what he is saying seriously. “I’m asking if it feels like…like we’re living yesterday all over again.”

Still confused Gavin asserts “Ok, how is that not déja...”

Nines interrupts raising his voice slightly “Don’t! Don’t say it…”

Nines stops as the waitress approaches with their food “Coffee, black, and some hot sauce for the…” The hot sauce again falls off the waitress’ tray but this time Nines sticks out his hand catching it with ease “Whoops! Crap. Thanks!” the waitress says then chuckles before walking away from the table.

Gavin chuckles looking surprised “Nice reflexes.” He jokes to which Nines responds by looking very confused and slightly worried.

~~~  
As the boys walk down the same street, Nines looks around very confused by the whole situation with Gavin walking next to him trying to compute what Nines has said earlier.

“Nines, I’m sort. I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

“Okay, look. Yesterday was Tuesday, right?... But today is Tuesday too.” Nines trys to explain clearly but instead not making any sense.

“Yeah. No, good. You’re totally balanced.” Gavin responds nervously chuckling.

“So, you don’t believe me?” Nines retorts rolling his eyes.

Gavin laughs taken aback while the young woman again bumps into him excusing herself.

“Look, I’m saying that it’s crazy, you know? Even-for-us crazy. Like me-stopping-smoking crazy!” Gavin replies then has a realisation “Hey, maybe it was one of your premonitions.”

“No. It was way too vivid,” Nines states “Okay, look. We were at the Mystery Spot, and then…” Nines stops his LED flickering red.

“And then what?” Gavin asks concerned.

“Then I woke up.” Nines answers.

As Gavin and Nines continue walking down the street they pass the same movers again arguing over the desk not fitting in a doorway. When they had passed the movers, Nines stops in his tracts suddenly realising “Wait a minute! The Mystery Spot. You think maybe it…”

Gavin looks at Nines “Maybe what?”

“We got to go checking that place out. Just go with me on this.” Nines responds turning to look back at Gavin.

“All right, all right. We’ll go tonight after they close, get ourselves a nice, long look.”

Suddenly realising what Gavin said Nines panics “Wait. What? No!” His LED flashing red again.

“Why not? Gavin asks looking extremely confused

“Uh…let’s just go now. Right now. Business hours. Nice and crowded” Nines tries to find a reason.

“My god, you’re freak.” Gavin jokes sarcastically

“Gavin!”

“Okay! Whatever. We’ll go now” Gavin concedes walking out into the road without looking.

Nines stayed on the sidewalk collecting his thoughts for a second only to hear a car rushing past, the sickening squelch of car hitting body and then the screeching of brakes.

“Gavin!” Nines screamed. His LED going blood red as he ran over to Gavin’s lifeless body. Once he got to him, he looked up to see who the driver was. The person looking back was the very elderly man from the diner, Mr Pickett. Within seconds of seeing Mr Pickett, Nines woke up again hearing that same song and the same phrase from Gavin “Rise and shine, Tincan!”

This same routine happened every day from, nothing changing. The constant death of Gavin and then the waking up to be hearing the song and that phrase.

Nines ruled out the Mystery Spot early on after visiting it and talking to its owner, after saving Gavin from the speeding Mr Pickett, only to have Gavin then crushed by a falling desk. With that conclusion, Nines tried to just keep Gavin alive until midnight, which was easier said than done. On one day Gavin choked on just one bite of sausage just as he was showing Nines that things can change within the world and that that change would not cause his immediate death.

After that day, Nines prevented Gavin from going to the diner instead keeping him in the motel room not that it made sure Gavin survived. Gavin was killed by slipping over in the shower, eating bad tacos and even just by plugging in a shaver in the bathroom. All this death weighed heavily on Nines causing him to slowly lose hope of ever making it out of the loop.

~~~  
Nines and Gavin walk into the diner. Everything was the same as it was every single day that Nines has been through. Mr Pickett collects his change then walks towards the door of the diner. As he passed the boys, Nines bumps into him smoothly pickpocketing Mr Pickett’s car keys out of pockets and putting them into his own jacket pocket.

As the Gavin sits down, he looks up at the menu board “Hey. Tuesday. Pig ‘n a poke.”

Nines’ reply is to slam the keys onto the table. “What are those?” Gavin asks confused.

“The old man’s. Trust me. You don’t want him behind the wheel.” Nines states in a tone of someone who would rather be anywhere but where they are right now.

“You boys ready?” The waitress asks walking over to their table.

“Yes, we are. I’ll have the special, a side of bacon, and a coffee.” Gavin replies cheerily.

“Hey, Dorris,” Nines says turning his head towards the waitress “What I’d like is for you to log in some more hours at the archery range. You’re a terrible shot.”

“How do you know…” Dorris questions.

“Lucky guess” Nines interrupts. Very confused Dorris walks away to place the order.

Gavin still trying to process what just happened turns to Nines and asks “Okay, so, you think you’re caught in some kind of what again?”

“Time loop”

“Like ‘Groundhog Day.’” Gavin comments.

“It doesn’t matter. There’s no way to stop it.” Nines dismisses Gavin’s coffin.

“Jeez. Aren’t you grumpy?”

“Yeah, I am. You want to know why?” Nines pauses “Because this…this is the 100th Tuesday in a row I’ve been through and it never stops. Ever! So, yeah I’m a little grumpy.” Nines finishes his LED turning red. Gavin lurks back taken by surprise by Nine’s tone.

Nines takes a breath, his LED turning back to blue “Hot sauce”.

“What?” Gavin asks getting very confused.

The waitress walks to their table delivering the food “Coffee, black, and some hot sauce for the…” the hot sauce falls off her tray and Nines catches it looking very unamused “Whoops! Crap. Thanks!”

“Nice reflexes” Gavin comments quite impressed but still quite confused.

“I knew it was going to happen, Gavin. I know everything that’s going to happen.”

“You don’t know everything.”

“Yeah, I do” Nines asserts.

Then at the same time, they both say “Yeah, right. Nice guess.”

“I wasn’t a guess.” Nines comments.

“Right, you’re a mind reader.” They both say at the same time “Cut it out, Nines. Nines! You think you’re being funny, but you’re being really, really childish. Nines wears knee-high socks. Nines cries while watching ‘I, Robot’…Okay enough!” Gavin gives Nines a really creeped-out look and chuckles nervously.

“That’s not all.” Nines continues “Randy,” he points his head towards a bulky man who looked in his 30s wearing a uniform for the diner, “the cashier? He’s skimming from the register. Judge Meyers?” looking at an older, balding gentleman in a business suit, “At night, he puts on a furry bunny outfit.” Judge Meyers, after hearing someone knew about with nighttime escapades, drops the milkshake he was drinking. “Over there…” Nines procedes pointing his head toward the ragged looking, run-down young man sitting at the counter “that’s Cal. He’s going to rob Tony the mechanic on the way home.”

“What’s your point?” Gavin asks.

“My point _is _, I’ve lived through every possible Tuesday. I’ve watched you die every possible way. I have ripped apart the Mystery Spot, burnt it down, tried everything I know to save your life, and I can’t. No matter what I do, you die, and then I wake up. And then it’s Tuesday again.” Nines explains getting choked up at the end of his rant.__

__~~~  
Nines and Gavin walk down the same road, Nines sighs and says “Dog.” just as they pass the tied up Golden Retriever that starts barking._ _

__“There’s got to be some way out of this.” Gavin comments._ _

__“ ‘Where’s my dang keys?’” Nines remarks as the walk by Mr Pickett searching his pockets question where his dang keys were._ _

__The two continue walking, then Nines says “ ‘Excuse me’” just as a young blonde woman bumps into Gavin excusing herself. Gavin stops in his tracks turning to Nines and remarks “She’s carrying something. All the times we’ve walked down this street, I ever do this?” before turning around and jogging after the young woman “Excuse me, Miss?”_ _

__Nines stands stuck to the spot “No.” The young lady gives Gavin some sort of poster._ _

__Gavin walks back towards Nines while commenting sarcastically “100 Tuesdays, you never bothered to check what she was holding in her hands? This the guy who went missing?”_ _

__“Yeah.” Nines answers._ _

__“That’s his daughter back there.” Gavin points out causing Nines quickly grab the poster and run to catch up with the woman._ _

__Gavin looks around bored then spots the dog still tidied up, who barks at him. “Hey, buddy. Somebody needs a friend?” Gavin coos as he walks towards the dog, who now was growling at him. And then Nines woke up again._ _

__~~~  
The boys are sitting in the dinner again. Nines doing research on the tablet, his LED shining yellow._ _

__“So, the police report says Dexter Hasselback is a professor but that’s not all he is?” He then shows Gavin the tablet “I talked to his daughter the guy’s quite the journalist. Columns in magazines, a blog. As Nines continues to explain the businessman sitting on the counter eating pancakes finishes and gets up to leave the diner. “He writes about tourists attractions, mystery spots, UFO crash sites. He gets his kicks debunking them. I mean, he’s already put four of these place out of business.”_ _

__“Dexter Hasselback: truth warrior?” Gavin jokes “More like a pompous shmuck, you ask me.”_ _

__“Yeah, tell me about it. I mean, I’ve read everything the guy’s ever written. He must have weighed a ton, he was so full of himself.” Nines remarked sarcastically._ _

__“When did you have time to do all this research?” Gavin asks confused._ _

__Nines glances around the dodges the question saying “Come on” and gets up starting to leave the diner. Gavin follows chuckling slightly._ _

__Nines looks back at Gavin as asks “What?”_ _

__Gavin chuckles some more “It’s funny you know. I mean, this guys spends his whole life crapping on mystery spots and then he vanishing in one. It’s kind of poetic, you know? Like just deserts.”_ _

__“You’re right. That is just deserts” Nines chuckles continuing to walk towards the door until his LED turns yellow as he notices something different. He stops immediately._ _

__“What’s wrong?” Gavin asks concerned_ _

__Nines turns around to see the businessman walking past the front windows of the diner “The guy has maple syrup for the past 100 Tuesdays…all of a sudden, he’s having strawberry?”_ _

__Not knowing what Nines was on about, Gavin jokes “It’s a free country. Man can’t choose his own syrup, huh? What have we become.”_ _

__Nines retorted snippily “Not in this diner. Not today. Nothing in this place ever changes…ever. Except me.”_ _

__Nines eyes flew open as he sits up determined that today is the day that everything changes. With ‘Carry On My Wayward Son’ ringing in his ears he hears “Rise and shine, Tincan!” come from the bed next to him._ _

__~~~  
Nines stares at the businessman as he sits that the booth just behind him in the diner. “So, you think you’re caught in some kind of what again?” Gavin asks trying to get Nines’ attention._ _

__Nines swung his head around and snaps “Eat your breakfast.”_ _

__The businessman finishes his pancakes, gets up and leaves the diner with Nines following behind after picking up a paper bag from the seat next to._ _

__“Hey, what’s in the bag?” Gavin asks as he follows Nines out of the diner._ _

__Nines follows the businessman into an alleyway next to the diner waiting for the moment when he can ambush him. When that moment came, Nines with flaring red LED shoves the businessman against the wall, spinning him around so that he was facing Nines and pushing a blood-soaked stake against his neck._ _

__“Hey! Hey.” Shouts the businessman while Gavin catches up with Nines a very perplexed look on his face._ _

__“I know who you are. Or should I say ‘what’?” Nines shouts._ _

__“Oh, my god. Please, don’t kill me.” The businessman begs but gets no sympathy from Nines._ _

__“It took me a hell of a long time, but I got it.” Nines continues ignoring anything that the businessman or Gavin was saying “It’s your M.O that gave you away. Going after pompous jerks, giving them their just deserts. Your kind loves that, don’t they?”_ _

__“Yeah, sure. Okay. Just put the stake down” the businessman implores._ _

__Gavins nods his head agreeing “Nines, maybe you should…”_ _

__“No! There’s only one creature powerful enough to do what you’re doing, making reality out of nothing, sticking people in time loops. In fact, pretty much have to be a go. You’d have to be a trickster.” Nines interrupts getting riled up._ _

__The businessman looks at Nines and pleads “Mister, my name is Ed Coleman. Mt wife’s name’s Amelia. I’ve two kids. For crying out loud I sell ad space…”_ _

__“Don’t lie to me! I know what you are! We’ve killed one of your kind before!” Nines cuts off the businessman referring back to a case Nines and Gavin had in Springfield, Ohio less than a year earlier where they had hunted a trickster with the help of another hunter and close friend Chris Miller._ _

__The businessman starts laughing at Nines’ last statement as his face started to morph into a thin, racoon-eyed young face with a mop of jet black hair on the top of his head swooped over to the right. “Actually, Tincan, you didn’t.” the trickster chuckles, a smug smile appearing on his face._ _

__Through his surprise, Nines asks “Why are you doing this?”_ _

__With another smirk, the trickster replies “You’re joking, right? You guys tried to kill me last time. Why wouldn’t I do this?”_ _

__“So, this is fun for you? Killing Gavin over and over again?” Nines questions spite emanating through his words. Gavin gives Nines a shocked and baffled look at Nines’ last question._ _

__The trickster shrugs “One, yes, it is fun, and two, this is so not about killing Gavin. This joke is on you, Nines. Watching your partner die every day. Forever.” The trickster adds growling with the last word._ _

__“You son…” Nines goes to curse the trickster out only to be interrupted by the trickster “How long will it take you to realise, you can’t save your partner…no matter what?”_ _

__“Oh, yeah?” Nines taunts “I kill you, this ends now” as he pushes the stake further against the trickster’s neck._ _

__“Oh, hey? Whoa, okay. Okay. Look.” The trickster says as he tries to squirm out of the way of the stake “I was just playing around. You can’t take a joke, fine. You’re out of it. Tomorrow, you wake up, it’ll be Wednesday, I swear.”_ _

__“You’re lying.” Nines reacts not believing a word the trickster says._ _

__“If I am, you know where to find me, having pancakes at the diner.”_ _

__Nines’ LED spins yellow as he processes the bargain that the trickster has put forward. After a couple of minutes, Nines decides that it’s the best he could get and so replies “Ok”._ _

__With the confirmation he needed the trickster snaps his fingers and the world around Nines went dark._ _

__~~~  
Nines wakes up with what seemed like a different song ringing in his ears too much whirling around his brain for him to process what he actually hearing. He looks to his right assuming that Gavin would be sitting right there as he always was but instead he was standing across the room brushing his teeth._ _

__“What, are you gonna sleep all day?” Gavin comments sarcastically._ _

__Nines looks at Gavin and questions “No, Kansas?”_ _

__“Yeah, I know. This station sucks.”_ _

__Nines turns to the radio when he spots that it says that “It’s Wednesday!” Nines gasps with relief._ _

__Gavin gives Nines a quizzical look and retorts “Yeah, which usually comes after Tuesday. Turn that thing off, would you?”_ _

__“What, are you kidding? This isn’t the most beautiful song you’ve ever heard?” Nines says excitedly, jumping out of his bed._ _

__“No. Jeez. How many Tuesdays did you have?”_ _

__“I don’t know. I lost count.” Nines then stops realising something “Hey, wait. What do you remember?”_ _

__“I remember you were pretty whacked out of it yesterday, then I remember running into the trickster. But, no, that’s about it.” Gavin replies calmly._ _

__“All right. Pack your stuff. Let’s get the hell out of town…now.” Nines declares sternly._ _

__“No breakfast?” Gavin asks disappointingly._ _

__Nines chuckles “No breakfast.”_ _

__Gavins turns away from Nines and walks out of the motel room to go pack up the car while Nines stayed in the room cleaning up the mess inside the room. Nines bumbles around the room for about ten minutes just finishing backing the last bag when heard a distant gunshot from outside._ _

__“Gavin!” Nines shouts, his LED instantaneously turning red and runs out of the room and down the stairs to the parking lot only to see Gavin’s lifeless body lying on the tarmac covered ground. “No, no, no, no. Not today. This isn’t supposed to happen today. Come on.” Nines begs closing his eyes hoping that when he opens his eyes again he’ll just be in his bed again but this time. This time when he opens his eyes all he sees is the listless body of Gavin cradled in his arms. “I’m supposed to wake up.” Nines sobs as he continues to cradle his partner’s body._ _

__~~~  
For six months, Nines was closed off to the world his only focus on getting revenge on the trickster. For six months he didn’t respond to any of his friend’s voice messages or offers to help. He went on solo hunts taking down whole nests of vampires without a care for his own life. For six months Nines had lived emotionlessly until heard one line come from a voicemail from Chris saying “I’ve found him.”_ _

__~~~  
Chris Miller kneels in front of a rune sketched onto the floor in chalk, books surrounding him when Nines walks into the same mystery spot that had been the focus of the worst days of his life. His expression emotionless with his LED solid blue. Chris turns around seeing Nines._ _

__“It’s good to see you, Nines.” Chris says pulling him into an unreciprocated hug._ _

__“What are we doing here, Chris?” Nines asks not showing any joy in meeting a close friend for the first time in forever._ _

__“This is the last place, for sure, the trickster worked his magic. I found a summoning ritual to bring the trickster here” Chris explains walking towards the rune on the ground._ _

__Staying where he was standing Nines questions “What do we need?”_ _

__“Blood. Near a gallon of it. Fresh too.”_ _

__“Meaning we have to bleed a person dry.” Nines remarks unphased._ _

__“And it’s got to be tonight, or not for another 50 years.”_ _

__“Then let’s go get some.” Nines insists with urgency starting to head towards the door before realising that Chris hadn’t moved. He turns around to Chris giving him a pitying look._ _

__“No, I’m not gonna let you murder an innocent person.” Chris asserts forcefully._ _

__Nine glares at Chris getting frustrated “Then why did you bring me here?”_ _

__“Why?” Chris raises his voice stepping closer to Nines “ ‘Cause it was the only way you’d see me. ‘Cause I’m trying to know some sense into you. Because I thought you’d back down from killing someone.” Chris finishes giving Nines a disappointed look._ _

__Nines gives Chris a blank stare and states “Well then, you’re wrong. Leave the stuff. I’ll do it myself”_ _

__“I told you, I’m _not _gonna let you kill anyone.”___ _

___“It’s none of your DAMN business what I do!” Nines snaps, his LED a raging red as he closes the gap between him and Chris._ _ _

___Chris shakes his head saying “You want your partner back so bad…” as he backs towards a duffel bag on the floor from which he produces a dagger._ _ _

___Nines stands in shock for a second, his LED turning yellow. “What are you talking about?” he asks not comprehending what Chris is doing._ _ _

___“Better me than a civilian,” Chris comments straight-faced._ _ _

___“You’re crazy. I’m not killing you” Nines denies._ _ _

___“Oh. Now I’m the crazy one.” Chris chuckles as he rolls his eyes “Nines. I’m tired. I’m just tired of feeling so guilty about what I’ve done. But you can keep fighting, saving folk. But you need your partner. So, let me give him back to you.”_ _ _

___“Chris…” Nines choke as tears welling up in his eyes._ _ _

___“I want to do this, Nines.” Chris interrupts determined but saddened._ _ _

___“Okay” Nines concedes holding back tears as his LED fades to red._ _ _

___Chris kneels down in front of the rune, his back turned to Nines and says “Just make it quick. Do it.”_ _ _

___“Yeah, okay, Chris” Nines is about to swing the dagger when he realises ‘Wait, this isn’t something that Chris would do’ so instead he takes out the blood-soaked stake he stored in jacket earlier “But you want to know why? Because you’re not Chris.” He starts to swing the stake towards Chris kneeling body when Chris’ body faded into nothing and Nines felt a sudden tug at the stake in his hands as it was sent flying behind him._ _ _

___He whirled around to see the trickster standing there holding his stake looking very smug. The trickster was wearing all black with the addition of a blue LED boa and a pair of light-up red sunglasses. Even with everything that was going on around him, Nines couldn’t help but think ‘Fun glasses.’_ _ _

___“You’re right. I was screwing with you.” The trickster chuckles as he points the stake, which he had turned into a mannequin hand, at Nines. “Pretty good, though, Nines. Smart. Let me tell ya. Whoever said Gavin was the dysfunctional one has never seen you with a sharp object in your hands” The trickster starts laughing._ _ _

___Nines looks the trickster directly in the eyes, his eyes well up again. “Bring him back.” He begs._ _ _

___“Who? Gavin? Didn’t I send you flowers?” the trickster jokes sarcastically while swinging the mannequin hand out to the side. “Gavin’s dead. He ain’t coming back!”_ _ _

___“Just take us back to that Tuesday..or Wednesday. When it all started, please.” Nines pleads, his voice breaking at the end. “We won’t come after you. I swear.”_ _ _

___“You swear?” the trickster dismisses seemingly unimpressed._ _ _

___“Yes.”_ _ _

___The trickster seems to consider the offer for a minute “I don’t know. Even if I could..”_ _ _

___“You can” Nines corrects._ _ _

___“True, but that doesn’t mean I should. Nines there’s a lesson here that I’ve been trying to drill into that freakish skull of yours.” The trickster says as he takes a step closer to Nines tapping him on the head with the mannequin arm. “This obsession to save Gavin. The way you two keep sacrificing yourselves for each other. Nothing good comes out of it. Just blood and pain. Gavin’s your weakness. The bad guys know it, too. He’s gonna be the death of you. Sometimes you just got to let people go.” He finishes walking backwards shrugging his shoulders._ _ _

___Nines shakes his head “He’s my partner. Please. Just…please” He chokes almost crying while LED whirls red again._ _ _

___“I swear, it’s like talking to a brick wall” the trickster sighs throwing his arms into the air. “Okay, look. This all stopped being fun months ago. I’m over it.”_ _ _

___“Meaning what?” Nines asks cautiously_ _ _

___“It means that it’s for me to know and you to find out.” The trickster snaps his fingers and once again the world turned black for Nines._ _ _

___~~~  
Nines opens his eyes to see a ceiling but not the ceiling of the mystery spot while hearing a song filled his ears. He sits up slowly with his LED turning yellow as he tries to work out if the trickster had given him his wish. He looks to his right hoping to see Gavin sitting on his bed but all that was there was an empty bed. Nines sighs dishearted until he hears a voice from across the room._ _ _

___“ What. Are you gonna sleep all day?” Gavin’s voice echoed through his head causing Nines to look up with tears in his eyes not believing that Gavin was there “I know. No Kansas. This sucks.”_ _ _

___Nines turns his head to the radio only to see that “It’s a Wednesday.” He says slightly excited as he realises that the trickster actually had bent space-time._ _ _

___Gavin gives Nines a perplexed look and sarcastically comments “Yeah. Which usually follows Tuesday. Turn that thing off would ya?”_ _ _

___Totally ignoring what Gavin asked of him. Nines swiftly gets out of bed and walks over to Gavin pulling him into a firm hug. Taken by surprise, Gavin remarks “Dude, how many Tuesdays did you have?”_ _ _

___“Enough.” sighs Nines with relief holding the hug for a few seconds before realising “Wait.” He pulls back keeping his hands on Gavin’s shoulders “What do you remember?”_ _ _

___Gavin backs up slightly keeping eye contact with Nines “I remember you were pretty whacked out yesterday. I remember catching up with the trickster. That’s about it.”_ _ _

___Nines nods and demands“Let’s go.”_ _ _

___“No breakfast?” Gavin asks sadly._ _ _

___Nines chuckles “No breakfast.”_ _ _

___“All right. I’ll pack the car” Gavin says pointing his thumb towards the door._ _ _

___“Wait!” Nines urgently barks, his LED flickering red while he puts his hands up in a stop motion. “You’re not going anywhere alone.”_ _ _

___“It’s just the parking lot, Tincan,” Gavin states._ _ _

___“Just…just trust me.”_ _ _

___Gavin nods giving Nines a small reassuring smile before heading off to his bed to pack his bags._ _ _

___The two-man team finishes packing their bags quite quickly. When Gavin completes packing for himself, he heads to the door about to open it but he stops, turns around and looks at Nines, who was packing slower than he usually did, with a concerned expression. “Hey, you don’t look so good. Did something else happen?” he asks._ _ _

___Nines shakes himself out of his thoughts “Yeah, I just had a weird dream.” He responds as his LED spirals red._ _ _

___“Clowns or spiders?” Gavin asks as he tries to put some humour into the current atmosphere. Nines chuckles giving Gavin a small smile to say that that he was alright. Feeling a little more at ease, Gavin leaves the room heading towards the car. Nines followed suit but stops at the door taking one final look at the room and the bed his LED turning red for a few seconds before turning back to blue as he reassures himself that it was all in the past and will never happen again. Nines then turns off the lights and closes the door to the room ready to carry on his adventures with his partner._ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoped you enjoyed it. Sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes as I literally finished it at 12:30am on the 7th.


	5. #Sickfic - July 10th

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gavin overworks and Nines cares for his stubborn partner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to my friend Alex for editing and helping me come up with this idea.

Pov: Gavin

Nines and I walk into the precinct after having closed our last case just hours before our next shift started. Nines tried to persuade me to take the day off, but you know me when have I taken a day off in my life.

I zombie shuffle over to my desk with Nines beside me constantly giving me a concerned look, his LED whirling yellow. I sit down on my butt-numbing chair catching my reflecting in my display screen; my ugly mug looked like it had a noir filter on it apart from the red eyes like the Devil’s staring back at me. Disgusted with what I was seeing, I turned on the screen to check if we had any new cases and when I see that we had none I put my feet up on the desk and rest my eyes.

After a few minutes, I’m startled into reality by a loud, deep, masculine voice. My eyes flit around the room for a few seconds trying to recognise where I am. Once they focus, I see Captain Fowler standing outside his office expectantly.

“Ah Detective Reed, I see you’ve decided to grace us with your consciousness. Good, I need you and Nines in my office _now _.” He demands.__

____

__

I quickly glance at Nines, who was still looking at me with a concerned expression. I roll my eyes before swiftly getting up out of the chair and heading to Fowler’s office, Nines following swiftly at my heels. 

As Nines and I enter the room, Nines closing the door behind him, Fowler sighs “I know you just closed a case and if I had any choice I would give you a few days for you to collect yourselves but…but there’s a body that has been discovered at the docks.” Fowler pushes a tablet across his desk, and I pick it up flicking through the file letting Nines look at it over my shoulder. “This is the third body we’ve found in a month and it seems that this murderer isn’t stopping. However, the killer hasn’t left any shred of evidence. We need you two working your hardest on this one, we don’t want any more bodies. Good luck.” Fowler finishes signalling that we were dismissed.

As we walk out of his office, I sigh and grumble under my breath “Goddammit, I really need some coffee.” I press the buttons on the coffee machines not really registering anything my eyes slowly shutting. I shake my head trying to wake myself up. ‘No. I need to stay awake. There’s a case. People need you.’ I keep thinking.

As soon as the machine finished filling my mug, I chug it and put my mug below the machine to be filled again. I take that mug to my desk where Nines was already sitting working at finding any leads. I turn on my display and start going through the files, autopsy reports and witness reports trying to find anything we could start our investigation on. I kept searching and searching for a single thread that we could pull but there seemed to be nothing.

For days on end for two weeks, I kept working, following up on any leads I could find but all of them led to dead ends. Every so often Nines would force me to eat and get some sort of liquid, apart from coffee, into my body and when we went home at the end of the day, he would force me to sleep for a bit but I would sneak out of bed to carry on with the investigation.

That was until three days ago when we received news that a new body has been found. Since then I haven’t stopped working. I let another person die just because I couldn’t find just one viable lead. I’m such a bad detective. I refuse to sleep, only eating the minimum I can and drinking coffee to keep me awake. I have to find something; I can’t let anyone else die.

I’m still sitting at my desk when Nines walks into the precinct after going home yesterday to look after Asshole. I try to focus on my display, but the words are blurring and seem to be swirling slightly. I shake my head to try and refocus as Nines reaches my desk. I look up to see him giving me a very anxious look his LED swirling yellow.

“You look like shit, Gavin.” He starts sitting in his chair opposite me “You have double the normal level of caffeine in your bod…”

“What did I say about scanning me!” I interrupt.

“I know Gavin but I’m your partner. I care for you. You need to take care of yourself, please. You need to sleep…” His words start to sound like they are coming through water before the world seems to start spinning. Then suddenly everything turned black.

~~~  
POV: Nines

When I enter the precinct, I notice that Gavin is still sitting at his desk where I left him. He was looking every worse than yesterday. His skin is paler, almost transparent, while the bags under his eyes are like black holes and he’s starting to get really gaunt. Over the last few days, I’ve noticed the stark decline in his body condition and mental well-being, he has started to refuse food and has stopped sleeping. I really want to help him, but he isn’t allowing me to.

I walk over to his desk and perform a quick scan, which I know he hates, just to get a bearing on quite how bad he is. As I sit down on my chair, I joke “You look like shit, Gavin.” Then in a more serious tone say “You have double the normal level of caffeine in your bod…”

“What did I say about scanning me!” He interrupts getting irate.

“I know Gavin but I’m your partner. I care for you. You need to take care of yourself, please. You need to sleep; you need food and you need to drink something other than _coffee _.” I argue “Can we just go home, and you can sleep while I work on the investigation, please?” I ask and wait for a reply, but none came. I look to my left to where Gavin was sitting and saw that he was slumped in his chair.__

“Gavin!” I bark as I get up from my chair. I shake him lightly “Gavin. Come on, wake up.” His eyes start flickering open. Still not fully with it, he asks “Huh, what happened?”.

I respond “I believe you just fainted because you’re over exhausted and pretty much haven’t eaten in a few days. Come on, we need to get you home so that you can get some proper sleep and get some food in you. And maybe something other than coffee as well.”

This brings him back to reality a little more “No! I need to carry on with the investigation. People need me to continue. I can’t let anyone else die.” He panics, spiralling.

I gently put a hand on his cheek and shh him “The investigation won’t stop if you take a few days off to rest and recuperate. I will carry on working on it and I will ask Fowler to get Chris and Tina on it as well. Okay?”

He gives a small nod in response, his anime eyes glistening up at me. “Do you think you’re able to walk to the car?” I ask him. He nods again and tries to stand but his legs collapse under him. I catch him chuckling slightly then hook one arm under his knees and pick him up carrying him bridal style. He gives out a little groan of protest but doesn’t put up any more resistance.

When we finally make it to the apartment, I walk into the bedroom still carrying him bridal style. I place him down on the bed carefully trying not to wake him up as he had fallen asleep in the car on the way back from the precinct. As I am tucking Gavin in, Asshole comes sprinting into the room and jumps onto the bed before snuggling into Gavin’s side. I give a small smile before turning to head back to the living room to carry on with the investigation but as soon as I turn my back, I feel a hand grabbing my wrist.

“Can you stay with me, please?” I hear a small voice say behind me.

“Of course.” I walk around to the other side of the bed and sit on top of the covers and shuffle closer to him. He puts his hand out for me hold, which I take, my skin retracting as I do so. Gavin then rests his head on my shoulder and says barely awake “Thanks for caring so much."

I give a small chuckle and smile “My pleasure” I whisper, unsure whether he heard it or not. I then gently kiss his hair before leaning my head on top of his and closing my eyes resting happily in the peaceful atmosphere.


	6. #enemiestolovers/Soulmate Au - 14th/15th July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The DE squad live in the world of Teen Wolf. Nines is the alpha of a misfit pack, known as the RK, of supernatural creatures and humans alike.
> 
> The pack consists of Nines, the true alpha werewolf; Gavin, the human who runs with wolves; Connor, the werecoyote; Chris the Banshee and Kara, the kitsune. Recently two new members were accepted into the group: Ada, Nine’s beta werewolf; Lazzo, who is a werewolf; Valerie, who is another human; Tina, a chimera that can turn invisible and Markus, the hellhound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Adapted from S6 Ep6-10 of Teen Wolf
> 
> Teen Wolf is an awesome show that I would highly recommend you watch.

Recap  
Last year, one of Nines old friend’s North, who is a werewolf-werecoyote chimera, arrived back in town on a mission to become the Alpha of RK pack. She tried and to do this by manipulating each pack member into turning on each other. She even got Ada to try and kill Nines by persuading her that she could save her girlfriend at the time from death by becoming an alpha, which can only be done through killing the current alpha, and biting her girlfriend. Lucky, Ada’s best friend Lazzo was able to snap Ada out of her supermoon fuelled rage in time to stop her from killing Nines. 

However, due to North’s failed attempt, became more determined going as far as killing two of her own packmates to absorb their powers of a paralysis venom and electromagnetokinesis. But in the end, Kara used her kitsune powers to seal North in the prison of unknown location dragged there by the ghost of her sister, who she killed.

In the months following her defeat, the RK pack has encountered a new enemy called the Ghost Riders of the Wild Hunt, who capture people and erase all memories of them. They have already captured Gavin and many other people in the Cyberlife Academy High School community but Ada and Lazzo have a plan that involves luring the Ghost Riders to them but there is only one person who can help them with it.

Present-day  
Ada and Lazzo swiftly walk through the sewer system beneath the city of Detroit nearing the destination where they are meeting with someone who can help them fulfil their plan. 

“Almost there. Last chance to bail.” Lazzo suggests glancing nervously Ada.

Ada replies determinedly keeping her eyes focused forward “If we’re gonna stand a chance, we have to do something drastic.”

Lazzo scoffs remarking “There’s something drastic and then there’s this."

“I know, it’s not the perfect plan. But we the bad part of the plan to make the good part work.”

“Do you think she knows it’s a bad plan?” Lazzo asks referring to the person they are about to meet.

The two turn a corner to see Dr Maria, who was another kitsune, standing in the middle of the next tunnel holding a katana and she replies “Anyone would know this is a bad plan.” as she swings the katana down to her side making Ada slightly startle with surprise and stop in her track “Which is why I have to ask you one more time, are you sure you don’t wanna change your minds?”

Ada replies resolutely “We don’t know what else to do. It’s like the Ghost Riders are unstoppable.” As Ada finishes the sentence, she and Lazzo start moving towards Dr Maria slowly.

“They are unstoppable. They’ve been riding the storm and taking souls since long before I was born.” Dr Maria explains.

“Yeah, we won’t survive them. Not without your help.” Ada replies not giving up, closing the gap that remained between her and Dr Maria.

“Kara entrusted me with her sword while she’s with the Skinwalkers. And now, I’m trusting you because I believe she would want me too. Do not mistake this for me agreeing with your decision.” Dr Maria warns.

“I understand,” Ada responds sincerely before remarking nervously “Kara just stabbed her sword into the ground.”

“If you want to do this. You’ll have to do it yourself.” Dr Maria says, taking Ada by surprise, before offering the katana to Ada. Ada clears her throat nervously before tentatively taking the katana from Dr Maria and walking past her further into the tunnel.

As soon as Ada passes her, Dr Maria remarks “Once it’s done, whatever happens will be your responsibility.” Before she turns and leaves Lazzo and Ada to finish the task.

Ada takes a few more steps contemplating whether she wants to go through with the plan before taking a deep breath and plunging the katana into the ground. As soon as the katana enters the ground a crack glowing blue starts down the tunnel ending in a crevice from which North starts climbing out of with her claws out, teeth-bared and eyes glowing yellow finally released from her prison after three months. She starts growling before charging at Ada and slamming her against the nearest wall.

“North! We’re not trying to hurt you. We’re the ones that brought you back.” Lazzo explains firmly as North’s gaze franticly switches between him and Ada, who is still pinned to the wall.

“Where’s my sister?” North asks trying to understand what happened.

“Your sister’s dead” Ada struggles to reply only to be replied by growling she continues “She died a long time ago.”

“You killed her, remember?” Lazzo asks trying to jog North’s memory.

North takes a second to process what she heard before turning to Ada and growling “I’m gonna kill you, too. I’m gonna kill all of you.”

“Okay. Send him back.” Lazzo retorts causing Ada to reveal the katana to North and ask “Do you know what this does?” North looks down at the katana and recognises it so removes her hand that was pinning Ada to the wall and steps back, not taking her eyes off Ada.

“We need your power to help us,” Ada explains “Then you can kill whoever you want. But if you do kill us, you’re gonna end up worse off than ever.”

“There’s nothing worse than what I’ve been through,” North replies.

“You ever hear about the Ghost Riders?”

~~~  
As thunder rumbles above them Lazzo, Ada, North and one of the teachers from the Cyberlife Academy, Dr Elijah Kamski, all stand around a grate in the sewer system that has a wire hanging down through it. Dr Kamski is fiddling with some sort of instrument in his arms.

“What makes you think this is gonna work?” North asks uncertainly.

“You took Josh’s power. You can do it.” Ada replies straightforwardly, referring to one of North’s packmates the North herself killed. North looks at Ada before collecting herself and holding onto the wire.

“Here we go,” Kamski says once North has a firm grip on the wire before turning up on the instrument in his arms sending electricity through the wire the North was holding. North tries to hold on but is thrown through the air and down a nearby tunnel grunting in pain.

“Hey, what the hell?” asks Ada confused.

“That was only a billion joules,” Kamski remarks.

“Only?” North groans getting up from the floor still trying to catch her breath after the shock. 

“Well, how many joules are in a bolt of lightning?” Ada asks Dr Kamski 

“Five billion,” Kamski replies. 

“Well, I’m fine, by the way. Thank you for your concern.” North sarcastically remarks as she returns to the group again. 

“You don’t have Josh’s power anymore, do you?” Ada asks staring at North disappointedly. 

“Or Tracey’s,” Lazzo says, referring to the other packmate North killed, after checking her claws. 

“Guess I’m back to classic North.” Responds North to the other two’s accusations. 

“Maybe you should try some remorse since you killed them for their powers,” Ada argues. 

“I just put them back the way I found them.” 

“Okay. Send him back.” Lazzo remarks getting frustrated at how uncooperative North is being. 

“Hold on, I can help.” North pleads spurred on by the threat “I know about the Wild Hunt from the Dread Doctors.” She explains, referring to the group she was in cahoots with when she first arrived back in Detroit. She then looks at Kamski before continuing “I also know about things I’m betting you don’t.” 

“I’m with Mr Fratello on this one,” Kamski comments getting a confused look from Lazzo “Send her back.” 

North stares panicky at Ada and asks “Who’s making decisions around here? Where’s Nines? Where’s Gavin?” 

As soon as North mentions Gavin, she gains a confused look from Lazzo and Ada, and Ada stops threatening to stab the katana back into the ground. 

“You remember Gavin?” Lazzo asks surprised. 

“Why wouldn’t I remember Gavin?” North replies taken aback. 

Lazzo and Ada contemplate what North remembering Gavin could mean for a few seconds before North comments “Maybe she’s useful after all.” 

~~~  
“You know all about the Ghost Riders? How do we get Gavin and the others back” Lazzo asks North. All three of them are standing in Nines’ house, later in the day, waiting for the others in the pack to arrive back from their investigations. Lazzo and North are standing together over Nines’ dining room table while North is stood closer to one of the kitchen counters. 

“You can’t,” North replies downheartedly “The Wild Hunt comes. The Wild Hunt goes. That’s how it works.” 

“But they’re still here. And they’re still taking people.” Ada explains, which takes North by surprise causing her to turn around and face Ada and Lazzo. 

“That’s not possible.” North remarks “They’re the Wild Hunt. They’re not gonna stick around. Unless…” 

“Unless what?” Lazzo asks. 

“Unless they’re stuck,” North replies. 

“You’re gonna help us,” Ada states walking closer to North. 

“Ada, I don’t know what to do,” North replies bluntly. 

“Well, you remember Gavin so clearly you know more than we do,” Lazzo explains. 

“You’re gonna help us or you’re going back.” Ada threatens, showing North the katana again. 

North comes to a realisation at looks up at Ada “Let me guess. Nines wasn’t a part of this plan, was he?” 

The front door of Nines’ houses squeaks as the rest of the pack arrives back taking Lazzo, Ada and North by surprise. North whips her head towards the door becoming tense as she sees Nines staring at her from across the room.

“Somehow I don’t think we’re gonna hug this out.” North sarcastically remarks still being stared down by Nines.

Nines replies, “I hope you realise it’s taking all of my strength not to tear you in half right now.”

Connor then walks into the room staring daggers at North. “Hey, Connor. You aren’t still upset about the whole shooting thing, are you?” North asks hopefully in reference to when she had shot him three months prior.

In response, Connor's eyes start glowing blue as he wolfs out in anger over seeing North. Before charging at her causing her to fall on the ground but before Connor to lay a hand on her Nines intercepts her saying “Connor, enough.” As he pulls him away from North trying to calm Connor, who is still growling, down. “Slow down, okay? She’s going back in the ground.”

“You can’t” Ada interrupts getting a confused look from Nines “She remembers Gavin.” Nines turns around to look at North still sat on the ground trying to collect herself.

Connor turns to Ada still full of rage and rants “Nines remembers Gavin. Chris and I remember Gavin.”

“The Dread Doctors knew all about the Wild Hunt. She can help us” Ada continues to explain to Nines ignoring Connor’s remarks.

“Or she could kill us,” Nines warns.

“She’s my responsibility,” whispers Ada determinedly “Dr Maria gave me the sword.”

“It’s so awkward when Mom and Dad fight.” North jokes letting out a short sigh.

“Shut up!” Shout both Nines and Ada irately.

Lazzo walks over to Nines and Ada and explains calmly “You both are right. If North tries anything, we’ll send her back to her prison. But for right now…”

“She goes back now.” Nines interrupts staring at Ada.

“Except Ada’s the one with the sword.” North tries to point out only to be replied by a chorus of “Shut up!” from everyone. Nines looks at Ada and signals to her that he wants to speak with her in private before walking into the next room with Ada following

“What, do you not trust me?” Ada asks.

“I don’t trust her. Do you?”

“No.” Ada replies assuredly “But I think we can use her.”

“Remember who she is. She got into your head and you tried to kill me. And when that didn’t work, she tried to kill me and she did kill Tracy, and Josh, and her sister.” Nines warns.

“But this might be our only chance to get Gavin back.”

“Can’t we just try to find somebody that we at least trust?” Asks Nines.

“This might be a mistake. But you don’t know that yet. And you made mistakes when you were learning to be an Alpha.” Ada tries to assure Nines.

“Yeah, I made a lot.” Nines remarks, his voice cracking, “But we don’t have time for mistakes. I can’t lose Gavin.”

“So, we should try anything we can to save him. Right?” Ada replies keeping complete eye contact with Nines. “Even North.”

Nines shakes his head before conceding and saying, “Convince me.”

The two walk back into the other room where the rest of the pack are standing together away from North. Ada continues towards North holding the sword out in front of her. “I can put you back in the ground anytime.” She explains.

“You also need a transformer that can handle five billion joules of electricity.” North remarks “I know where to find one and I can show you how it works. I’ll tell you if Connor promises not to kill me.”

Connor starts growling at that remark but Ada responds, “He promises.”

Connor disagrees with the plan and starts getting frustrated before explaining he has a plan himself and leaves Nines house. As soon as he passes North, North turns her head to stare at Ada.

~~~  
“This was a bad idea,” Ada comments while walking with Lazzo through the forest holding a chain attached to a handcuffed North.

“This was not a bad idea” Lazzo reassures.

“It is a terrible idea.” North remarks causing Ada to pull on the chain making North stumble a bit and stare at her frustratedly. “I told you where the transformer is. I told you how it works. I don’t need to be there when it all blows up.”

“It’s not going to blow up” Lazzo snaps turning around to face North “They ride the lightning. We can use that to catch one and keep him there until we figure out what they want. It’s a good idea.”

“You’re trying to catch a Ghost Rider. A million things can go wrong, Terrible idea.” North responds perplexed.

“The bad idea was bringing her back.” Ada comments doubting herself “Nines’ right. This is a mistake.”

Lazzo looks at Ada before saying “You took a risk. We took a risk. But it was the right thing to do.” He then closes the gap between them “I believe in you.” He reassures as he hugs Ada.

“You guys want me to leave you alone. Oh, that’s right, I can’t.” North jokes deadpan as she lifts the chains she is handcuffed to. She lets go of the chains as thunder rumbles overhead.

“We better hurry” Lazzo comments as Ada drags North forward by the chain.

The three reach their destination. A run-down shack containing the transformer and a wire cage that Nines is finishing off erecting with the help of Tina and Valerie.

Lazzo chuckles as he enters the shack commenting “You did it.”

Kara replies with a small chuckle “Off course we did.” As Ada removes North’s handcuffs, who then points at the transformer and leads Ada over to it. Nines follows the pair.

When North reaches the transformer, she flicks the transformer on. The transformer whirs to life as a bright white light starts to shine from within.

“This thing can transmute the energy from a lightning bolt. Even successive strikes.” North explains to Ada and Nines. Nines nods before turning around and facing Tina and Valerie.

“Valerie, are you sure this is going to work?” Nines asks point at the wire cage.

“Well, whatever’s inside this cage is shielded from any outside electrical current. So, the Ghost Rider won’t be able to use lightning to escape.” Valerie explains

“We put a lightning rod on the roof and connected it to that conduit cable. Drawing the Ghost rider to that spot.” Tina continues pointing to a cable behind Nines that leads to a metal plate on the floor.

“We can’t send him directly in because the cage neutralises electromagnetism. Lightning will just bounce off it. Which is the same reason it’ll hold him in.” Valerie then finishes

“If the Ghost Rider lands here, how do we get him in the cage?” Nines asks while pointing at the metal plate.

“We have to lure him in,” Valerie replies seriously.

“I’ll do it.” Lazzo responds quickly “It’ll be okay, I’m faster than you guys.”

“As soon as Lazzo’s out, Nines and Ada, you guys close the gates, and then I’ll put down a barrier of Mountain Ash,” Valerie explains.

“And then I’ll head to the roof to take down the rod. We’ll be on the lookout for any other Ghost Riders.” Tina finishes.

“What do you think?” Ada asks Nines.

Nines turns around to face Ada and says, “I think it’s the best I idea that we have right now.”

“As long as everything goes perfectly and he doesn’t escape and kill us all,” North adds pessimistically staring at North.

“And your transformer works and the whole place doesn’t catch on fire.” Lazzo retorts.

“And there isn’t a catastrophic solar flare.” Kara finishes trying to show how ridiculous everyone is being.

To shut everyone else up Nines says, “Let's do it.” Valerie nods her head, turning around to turn on the circuit. Electricity crackles and bolts can be seen travelling over the wire cage as the circuit starts up before disappearing as thunder sounds above them.

Everyone except Lazzo goes to hide in their respective positions in wait for a Ghost Rider to arrive. It takes about twenty minutes before a lightning bolt hits the rod on the roof and a figure appears on the metal plate. As soon as he appears Lazzo runs through the cage the Ghost Rider following him and Ada closes and locks the gate on the other side of the cage.

Realising it’s a trap the Ghost Rider turns around to the other opening in the cage to try and escape, but Nines is there ready to close the door. However, as the door starts to slide shut it gets stuck. Nines frantically pulls at the door as the Ghost Rider gets closer. Just as the Ghost Rider gets his hands on the door, North runs up to Nines and tries to help close the door by pushing the other side shut. It starts to work but the Ghost Rider grabs hold of North and pulls her into the gap between the two sides of the door.

“Keep closing it!” She shouts at Nines, who obliges continuing to close the doors even though it starts crushing into North’s shoulder.

North shouts out in pain as the doors start coming closer together causing Ada to come running over and pulling North out of the gap. The door finally slams closed as Nines wolfs out using all his strength to finally get the door fully unstuck. As soon as the door is secured Kara comes running over, spreading a line of Mountain Ash in front of the door for extra security.

The thunder intensifies as the Ghost Rider calls down a bolt of lightning to try and escape the cage but the cage works denying him the chance to escape.

“Huh, I worked” Nines mutters trying to catch his breath.

“We did it,” Ada says proudly.

“Yeah, we did.”

North scoffs and asks, “Now what do we do?”

Nines answers “Try and talk to him.”

Ada takes a step forward and addresses the Ghost Rider “Mr Ghost Rider? Mr Rider?” gaining confused looks from both Nines and North. “We’ll let you out if you tell us how to get our friends back.”

“Everyone. We want everyone back.” Nines adds.

“Tell us how we get them all back.” Ada reasserts only getting silence from the Ghost Rider.

“This is the plan?” North scoffs.

“There wasn’t a plan for this part of the plan.” Ada retorts.

Nines puts a hand out to calm Ada saying “It’s okay. Look, we got him trapped. He can’t get out. We just have to figure out how to communicate with him.”

“Maybe he can’t hear us. Maybe he speaks an ancient language.” Ada suggests.

“Maybe he only responds to pain,” North adds.

“Or fear”

“Nothing’s gonna scare this thing. Look at him. He’s a walking corpse.” North remarks in response to Ada’s last suggestion.

“Something’s wrong.” Ada realises getting a scared look from Nines “Why’d he stop trying to get out? She finishes as the Ghost Rider starts to howl, a guttural almost croaky noise.

“Did he just call for back up?” North asks with a slightly scared tone in her voice.

“When Tina made the Ghost Rider visible at the party, another one showed up,” Ada reminds Nines who responds “We have to figure out how to talk to him. Or else get the hell out of here.”

The three talk for a minute trying to come up with an idea on how to communicate with the Ghost Rider with no success so they decide to message Tina, Valerie and Lazzo who were keeping watch outside.

The message read: ‘Ghost Rider not talking. Any suggestions.’ Knowing that they’re friends outside were cleverer than all of them combined, they weren’t surprised to have a reply from Valerie within seconds saying ‘Markus can communicate with them. Remember at the party when I thought the Riders feared him, they were actually trying to communicate with him. Have sent a message to him. Should arrive within a few minutes.’

Valerie’s estimate about the timing was accurate because within minutes Markus was there at the door of the shack. He walks calmly up to the Mountain Ash barrier right in front of the Ghost Rider, whose attention was solely on him.

“That’s progress.” North remarks while Markus and the rider are still staring at each other.

“Ask him how we get everyone back,” Ada tells Markus who then relays the question to the Ghost Rider. The Ghost Rider only wails in response.

“Did he say something?” Nines asks Markus in response to the wail.

“He said ‘Hellhound’,” Markus replies.

“Is that a good thing?” North asks looking a bit more motivated.

“Ask him again.” Pushes Nines so Markus asks, “What do you want from us?”

The Ghost Rider doesn’t respond for a few seconds until a deep, drawling, echoing voice surrounds the group saying “We are the Wild Hunt. We hunt forever. Those who hunt with us hunt forever.”

“What does that mean?” Ada asks perplexed.

Markus repeats the question only to get the same response from the Ghost Rider. North then remarks sarcastically “Well, that clarifies things.”

Nines starts to get frustrated and asks “What do we have to do to get everyone back? Do you want something from us?” causing the Ghost Rider to divert its attention onto him.

“Why’s he looking at Nines,” Ada asks a little bit panicked before both she and North turn their heads to look at Nines.

“He figured out Scott’s the Alpha,” North replies suspicious of what could happen next.

“There must be something you want.” Nines continues pleading with the Ghost Rider for some kind of answer.

The Ghost Rider answers “There is only the Hunt. No one resists. No one escapes.”

Nines turns his attention to Ada and North and explains “If they can’t be bargained with, we’re gonna have to fight ‘em.” Ada nods in response before turning her attention back to the Ghost Rider.

Nines walks forward towards the Ghost Rider, passionately threatening “I’m coming for my friends. I’, coming for everyone. I won’t stop. I’ll never stop until we get everyone back.”

Nines gets no response to his last statements. Instead, the Ghost Rider turns his attention back to Markus and starts murmuring something indistinct that seems to put him into a trance. Suddenly Markus t-shirt starts to burn away as he starts to emit fire from his body, his eyes glowing fiery orange. Markus takes a step forward burning up the Mountain Ash barrier filling the room with a supernatural blue glow.

“What is he doing?” North asks Nines in a panicked tone.

“He’s gonna set him free,” Nines responds before running to stop Markus, who is no longer aflame but is still in Hellhound form before he opens the cage with Ada close behind him. “Hey, hey, Markus, Markus, stop!” Nines repeats trying to get his attention while, with the help of Ada, shoving Markus away from the cage. North attempts to help by grabbing Markus’ shoulder only to have her hand burnt and to be shoved across the room by Markus.

Markus advances towards the cage only to be resisted by Ada and Nines. However, Markus being stronger than both of them starts getting closer to the cage.

“We need to do something,” Ada says to Nines.

“Yeah,” He agrees before coming up with an idea “On three. One, two, three!” As soon as Nines says three both Nines and Ada starts charging towards the door of the shack bringing Markus with them, leaving North alone with the Ghost Rider.

Once outside of the shack, Nines and Ada throw Markus on the ground with one last shove before they both fall on the ground nursing burnt hands. They both groan in pain while keeping an eye on Markus who stands up seemingly uninjured.

A minute or so later, Markus seems to come to his senses and turns to Ada and Nines still half in Hellhound form and warns “Don’t follow me.” Before running sprinting off into the forest.

Ada and Nines recollect themselves and heal before heading back to the shack meeting Valerie and Lazzo on the way. They arrive to see that the Mountain Ash line had been reformed then broken again and the cage door was wide open with a dead Ghost Rider sprawled across the middle of it. Ada looks around to see North leant up against the transformer coughing and bleeding from her mouth and wound in her back. Ada takes a stutter step towards North before stopping herself confused on why she felt so concerned for North’s well-being. So instead she decided to turn her perplexing feelings to anger.

However, before Ada could do anything else, Lazzo has already stormed across the room slamming the still injured North against the transformer and shouts “What did you do?”

“I-it w-was Dr Kamski.” North stutters, tears of pain still welled up in her eyes which were frantically flitting between the others in the room. “He ate his brain.” North finishes staring at Ada pleading for her to believe her.

All Ada could say, even though her inner wolf was pleading for her not to, was “Nines was right. I was wrong. I’m sending you back.” North stares at her in shock tears starting to well up in her eyes again.

Ignoring all that’s happening around him, Nines starts investigating the body and realises “It wasn’t his brain. Dr Kamski ate his pineal gland.”

“It couldn’t have been North,” Valerie assures staring at Ada “These murders have been going on for weeks.”

Ada looks down at the body before saying “Guys. His whip’s gone.”

~~~  
Tina is walking alone in the forest continuing to keep a lookout for any more Ghost Riders when she is startled by Dr Kamski walking out from behind a tree carrying a whip and smiling smugly.

“Dr Kamski?” Tina asks confused on why he was out in the forest at this time of night.

Kamski doesn’t respond, instead, he throws the whip out behind him. “What are you doing?” Tina asks anxiously.

“Something I have been waiting to do for a very long time,” Kamski replies in a heavy German accent as his eyes start glowing a ghostly green. He flicks the whip around Tina’s neck before pulling it causing her to be pulled into the hunt through a cloud of green dust.

~~~  
The next morning the pack gathers at the sheriff's station to come up with another plan to save Gavin. After a few arguments, the pack decides that Chris, Nines and Connor would try and find the rift between their world and the hunt while Ada, Lazzo and Valerie would hold down the fort.

Ada, Lazzo and Valerie sit on a bench outside the sheriff’s office in silence for about half an hour until Valerie starts crying while staring at Tina’s phone, which they had found earlier.

“At least we found her cell,” Lazzo comforts Valerie “That means something.”

Valerie looks up from the phone, a single tear running down her cheek “It’s a relic. That only means one thing.”

“It means she’s not dead, Valerie,” Lazzo says turning to her “And that there’s still a chance.”

Valerie sniffles, wiping her tears away and comments while shaking her head “She only had pictures of us. There’s, like, a hundred pictures here. And it’s just us. Is that a little weird?”

“No. It means she loves you.” Lazzo replies with a small smile.

“We need to get her back,” Valerie demands determinedly.

After a few more minutes, Lazzo gets restless and goes to check what is happening outside through the blinds of the window right next to him. He then turns around and says to Ada “So we should stay here. Is that what you’re thinking?” getting impatient of not being able to do anything.

“It doesn’t matter where we are. We still need to figure out how to fight them.” Ada replies disheartened.

“No one can fight them.” Lazzo agrees.

“Kamski can.” North curtly responds from the holding cell across the room that she has been in since they had arrived at the station early that morning.

Valerie looks over at North and asks, “Does she really need to stay in there?”

“She’s still North,” Lazzo replies tersely.

“North saved Nines. Remember?” North retorts.

Valerie sits back a little shocked for words but comments “She can still hear you.”

Lazzo turns his head towards North and shouts getting irate “Then she can hear me say he needs to shut up, so we can figure out how to fight the Ghost Riders.”

North responds calmly “You don’t need to figure it out.”

“Because Kamski already did.” Ada finishes North’s thought.

“If he knew how to fight them then he might know everything about them,” Lazzo adds finally picking up the thread.

“And guess who knows all about Dr Kamski?” North comments walking away from the bars of the cell that she was leaning up against as the other three turn their attention back onto her.

The three get up from their bench and walk over to North’s cell to try and negotiate a deal. After a few minutes of arguments, Valerie gets frustrated and says “That’s not gonna happen. We’re not making that deal.”

“I hold all the cards.” North points out while sitting as comfortably as she can on the bench in her cell.

“You’re locked in a jail cell. You have no cards.” Valerie says in response.

“You want me to tell you about Kamski. Break the sword.” Norths suggests nodding her head towards Ada who has been holding the sword the whole time they have been in the station.

Valerie smacks her lips together and stands there for a few more seconds trying to come up with something else to say before giving up and turning to the others and jokes “Does anyone else want to do the negotiating?” Before walking away from the cell to reveal Ada who was leant against the wall directly behind her.

Ada sighs making eye contact with North who again suggests that they break the sword.

Lazzo getting frustrated with the negotiations going nowhere barks “I’ll break the sword. I’ll break it right in…”

“Lazzo,” Ada warns getting up from the wall and walking over to stand in front of the cell between Lazzo and Valerie.

“You break, I talk,” North states staring at Ada, who is resisting doing what her inner wolf is begging her to do. “Come on, guys. Look, I don’t want anyone’s pack. I don’t want anyone’s power. I just wanna stay alive.” She comments walking up to the bars and ending the last sentence looking straight at Ada.

“How do we know if we let you out, you won’t run?” Lazzo asks.

“‘Cause we’re not letting her out,” Ada replies not breaking eye contact with North. “She’s going to tell us from in here.”

“I’m still going to need some incentive.” North remarks breaking eye contact with Ada for a second to look down at the sword she was still holding.

Ada shakes her head slightly before walking away from the group. She stares at the sword, with her back to the rest of the group, debating why she was so drawn to break the sword and trust North even though all logic says that she shouldn’t. She takes one final deep breath before turning around to face North as twists the handle of the sword breaking the force that held the all the segmented sections of the sword together causing them to cascade down onto the ground filling the room with the sound metal ringing.

As soon as the sound stopped, North reveals “He’s a Lowenmensch.”

“What the hell is a Lowenmensch?” Lazzo asks.

“It’s part-wolf, part-lion,” Valerie responds showing her ever deep knowledge of the supernatural world.

“He was part of the Ahnenerbe, Himmler’s personal project to use the Occult to win the war.” North continues before going into detail about the first time Kamski had met the Ghost Riders.

After North had finished the story, Ada remarks “Kamski didn’t beat a Ghost Rider. He ran.” Feeling betrayed.

North just turns her head away from Ada while sitting on the bench again as Lazzo comments “We broke the sword for nothing.”

However, Valerie has a realisation “Wait, if that was back in 1943, where’s he been all this time?”

“Kamski kept looking. He found a scientist that he thought could help him. Three of them.” North responds as she stands up and walks to the side of the cell. She holds one of the bars in her hand and involuntarily squeezes it tightly as flashbacks to her time with the Dread Doctors came to her as she continues to speak about Kamski’s involvement with them. “The Ghost Rider’s whip didn’t go deep enough to take him but left a gash on his back. He was thrown into the tank and the wound infected the water. It mixed with the fluid from the vat and actually made him stronger. Soaking in it, absorbing the power for 70 years.”

“So, he came out with the power of an Alpha, a Lowenmensch, and a Ghost Rider” Ada comments in disbelief walking away from the cell.

“A side effect no one could expect,” North remarks no leaning on the door of the cell still only making eye contact with Ada.

“So, he can fight them. He could stop them.” Lazzo continues the train of logic walking over to stand next to Ada.

“The Nazis lost the war. Why is he still obsessed? What does he want an army for?” Ada asks.

“He doesn’t want it for them. The Nazis were just a means to an end. He wants it for himself. His own personal supernatural army.” Valerie responds drawing Ada’s attention away for North for the first time since North had started giving them the information.

Ada comes to a realisation “We need to warn Nines.”

Ada, Lazzo and Valerie leave the holding cell room getting ready to leave to go find Nines. As they walk through the reception area, Valerie tells them to hurry up only to be interrupted by a high-pitched wail and the doors of the station flying open to reveal a Ghost Rider walking in with his whip unfurled.

Within a second of Valerie seeing the Ghost Rider, there was a whip around her neck, and she was pulled into the hunt only having time to say “Ada, run!” Instead of doing what her friend asked her to do, Ada wolfed out, her eyes glowing blue, and sprints forward jumps and kicks the Ghost Rider full force with her legs knocking it backwards. She lands elegantly before continuing to punch the Rider, throwing him on the nearby desk. She continues to attack the Rider until he manages to block one of her punches gaining the upper hand by wrapping his hand around her neck and slamming his again the wall and then throwing her throw the window into the Sheriff’s office.

“Ada!” Lazzo shouts drawing the Ghost Rider’s attention to him. The Ghost Rider starts walking towards him as he is stuck not knowing whether to run or to fight but before the Ghost Rider can get close, Ada jumps up and swings through the doorway of the sheriff’s office kicking the Ghost Rider and causing him to fall over an adjacent desk. Ada roars before leaping over the desk and wrestling with the Rider but loses the upper hand quickly being thrown by the Rider onto the same desk and bouncing off it onto the ground.

The Rider leaps over the desk landing next to her then slams her head into the bottom of the desk dazing her. He then pulls out his gun getting ready to shot her and capture her for the hunt but as soon as his gun was drawn Lazzo sprints forwards and knocks the Rider off-balance, disarming him before throwing him ever his shoulder onto the ground. However, the Rider is quickly back on his feet.

Ada finally regains her senses and joins Lazzo as he growls at the Rider in a stand-off and they charge together at the Rider but are immediately choke thrown back from where they started running. As they both crouch on the ground trying to catch their breaths, the rider turns to grab his whip.

Lazzo turns to Ada still patting and mutters “We have to get to Nines.” Before they both get up and try running towards the back door of the station. Just as Lazzo is about to exit the room the Ghost Rider cracks his whip and grabs onto Lazzo’s wrist and tries to pull Lazzo towards him.

Ada sprints forward and grabs hold onto the Lazzo and the whip and starts pulling back, grunting with the effort. They are locked in a tug of war with the Rider for a few minutes before another Rider comes into the station riding on a lightning bolt that bursts through one of the front windows. The second Rider tries to catch Ada with his whip only for Lazzo to reach around the back of Ada and grab hold of the whip before it could attach itself to her.

Ada changes her grip so that she has one hand on each of the whips attach to Lazzo and tries to continue the tug of war. As the battle continues and it seems that they are gaining no advantage, Lazzo comes to a realisation “Ada,” he chokes out “You have to go find Nines.”

“I’m not leaving you,” Ada begs in response before turning back to the Riders trying again to pull the whips out of their grips but getting nowhere.

“You have to,” continues Lazzo “You can save me on the other side. I believe in you.” Ada looks back at him debating whether or not to go but with on last frustrate shout, she ducks under the whips and runs out of the room looking back one last time to see Lazzo giving himself up to the hunt.

Ada runs out of the sheriff’s station leaving North alone in her cell. Something inside her wanted her to go back for North but she shoved it off and continues to follow the scent of Nines. She runs across town and into the sewer system easily, navigating the winding pathways. She finds Nines, Connor and Chris being cornered in front of the rift by Kamski and Markus, who now mind-controlled and explains to them about Kamski’s past and his motives.

As soon as Ada is done finishes her very brief explanation, Kamski unfurls his whip and starts cracking it causing the group to have to move back. After a few cracks, Chris and Ada are able to split from the group down the adjacent tunnel Ada just came up from and a few seconds later Nines and Connor join them leaving the path clear for Kamski to use Markus to get through the rift.

As soon as the rift closes, Ghost Riders appear and start closing in on them. Nines instructions Ada and Chris to get the bunker in the sewers, which they obey. Running away as they hear the sounds of fighting happening behind them. The two continue around a few more corners until they suddenly see a Ghost Rider standing in front of them holding his gun. Chris steps in front of Ada to protect her only to have the Rider lift his gun and move his finger away from the trigger. Confused by the whole matter Ada asks, “What is happening?”

“I don’t know. But stay behind me. Follow me.” Chris responds as they slowly side-step their way around the Rider, who is now holding his gun down.

As they pass the rider it starts snarling at them but makes not attempts to attack them. Once the Rider is a good distance away from them Chris stops and stares at it trying to understand what happened.

“It’s afraid of you,” Ada remarks.

“I’m afraid of me.” Chris retorts before they both start sprinting again making their way back to Nines house.

~~~  
It had been thirty minutes since what was left of the pack had met up at Nines’ house, the only thing that could be heard was a computerised feminine voice saying “The number you have reached is not in service. Please check the number or try your call again. This is a recording.” echoing through the room repeated as Nines’ tries to reach his mother unsuccessfully.

Connor walks over to Nines and gets him to stop reminding him that even though his mom was gone she was still alive. The group, except Nines, starts discussing the options that they have to try and defeat the hunt and save everyone. They quickly rule out hiding and using Chris, which had been suggested by Ada before being shut down immediately by Chris himself. The only contribution Nines gave was that they were defeated as the only rift had been closed and that they were the only ones still left in Detroit.

Their discussions were ended suddenly by a knock at the door and Gavin’s dad, Sheriff Fowler, walks in. He goes on to explain that he finally remembered all his memories of Gavin, how he had remembered them and how when he did get all his memories back it seemed like a rift opened up in the right in front of him showing him Gavin just for a moment before it was gone again. This made Nines realise that maybe there is another way to open up a ridge going on to explain to the rest of the gang that maybe if they get all the memories of Gavin back then maybe they can open the rift again.

So, they came up with a plan. Nines, Connor, and Chris would go to the bunker to try and regain their memories while Sheriff Fowler and Ada would keep the Ghost Riders away from them for as long as they can. The pack split up going their separate ways with Ada and the Sheriff heading to the station.

~~~  
As Ada and Fowler enter the station, Ada tries to persuade him to enlist North for help. “Look, I’m not saying you have to like her. I’m just saying maybe he can help us.

“Ada, I’ll consider asking North for help when I don’t have a station filled of armed deputies to back me up,” Fowler replies as he opens a door to reveal a completely empty station the only evidence that someone was there are the signs of a struggle and piles of dead leaves on the ground. A radio lying on the ground buzzes drawing Fowler's attention. He walks over to the radio and picks up pressing a few buttons before saying into it “Any available units, this is Sheriff Fowler. Do you copy?”

The only reply he gets is radio static, so he tries again changing the channel but still only getting radio static back. Ada shakes her head as Fowler tries one more time before interrupting stating “They’re gone.”

This draws Fowler’s attention away from the radio. He sits there in silence for a few seconds before shaking his head and denying the statement. “That, that…That’s not possible. That’s….” He stutters as he stands up “They couldn’t have taken everyone.”

Ada starts to confirm the sheriff’s last statement when they hear a very disgruntle voice say, “They didn’t.” They both turn their heads towards the noise to see North still standing in her cell. Ada’s heart swells with relief when she sees the usual smirk crossing North’s face, but her words fail her so the only thing she could do was gulp before following the sheriff to the holding cell.

As they enter the room, North begs “Please, please tell me that you brought the key card.”

“I also brought my gun,” responds Fowler.

“And your sense of humour. That is great.” North retorts “But if we’re the only ones left in Detroit, then we need each other. Which means you need me out of this cell.”

“We need to trust you,” Ada interjects, knowing all too well that she already did.

“Then you need to get realistic because trust is not important right now. It is us against them. And you want a lot more of us considering how many of them there are.” North argues getting impatient.

Ada sighs and comments “I hate to say she’s right but…she’s kind of right.”

Fowler looks at Ada before looking back at North threatening “If I let you out and I see any behaviour that I find remotely suspicious, I’ll put so many bullets in your head, God won’t even recognise you.”

North retorts not backing down “I’m an atheist. Fire at will.”

Fowler sighs taking out the key card and starts fiddling with it in front of North, who is getting increasingly impatient. North flicks her eyes towards the reader urging Fowler to open the cell and Fowler moves the card towards the reader as if he was going to unlock the cell but before the does he stops and pulls the card back a bit.

“You’re gonna need to be a bit closer than that, Sheriff.” North says impatiently “Wave it over the card reader, come on. Right there.” She continues as she reaches through the bars and taps the reader. “Up and down. You can do it.”

“Sheriff, we need her,” Ada whispers.

The sheriff doesn’t move instead he says to North “Tell me something.”

“What?” North asks while the sound of wind whistling starts to fill the room grabbing Ada’s attention. “Tell you what? What are you talking about…”

“Tell me about my son.” Fowler interrupts gaining a flabbergasted chuckle from North. “Tell me one thing about Stiles that you remember. Just one.”

“You swipe that key card; I’ll tell you anything you want.” North tries to bargain getting really antsy.

“Sheriff. They are coming.” Ada points out nervously as thunder starts rumbling overhead.

“One thing. Just one thing!” Sheriff shouts not backing down. Norths rams against the door of the cell getting really angry but as Fowler turns to leave the room she barks “He was smart!” causing the sheriff to stop and turn back.

“Smart enough not to trust me.”

Fowler walks back over to the cell and swipes the card through the reader unlocking the cell. The three of them walk through to the reception heading towards the front door when thunder rumbles again and a horse whinny is heard echoing around the station. The three stop in their tracks trying to listen.

“They’re here,” Ada states.

“How close?” Asks Fowler urgently as another whinny is heard.

“Too close,” replies North.

“How many?”

Ada replies shaking her head “I heard a couple horses. Maybe more.”

“Five. I, I think five at most.” North adds.

“Three of us. Five of them.” Fowler sighs as he cocks his gun. “You ready?” he asks as he starts to move towards the door.

North grabs his arm quickly looking back and forth between him and Ada “Wait, are you kidding? Us against five Ghost Riders?” She asks in disbelief.

Ada takes a step forward making eye contact with North “We can take them.” She reassures.

“Five of them?” North barks back

“Three of us,” Ada says calmly

“Yeah.” The sheriff sighs heading towards the door followed closely by Ada. North looks at them with disbelief before shaking her head flicking out her claws and following them. Fowler reaches the door and swings it open with determination only to be greeted by a crowd of about twenty Riders all with their guns out and loaded.

“Oh, Sh…!” Fowler starts before being shot and captured by the hunt. Ada and North dive against the wall either side of the doorway as the hailstorm of shots continue. As soon as the Riders stop to reload, Ada reaches across the door grabbing North by the hand and drags her across to her side of the doorway. They both look at each other in awe before muttering “Two of us.” Then start running towards the back exit of the station.

As they reach the door, Ada grabs the box containing the keys that belong to the station and follows North out the door running towards a patrol car. They both hope in the car before North turns to Ada and demands “Keys, Keys!”

Ada opens the box quickly to find all the keys have mixed up in the box. They look at each other and Ada whines slightly while North says “Are you serious?” Ada grabs one of the keys and hands it to North, who tries to fit it into the ignition, but it doesn’t fit.

“Give me another,” North states frustrated.

“Which one?” Ada asks panicking.

“Any of them. Come on!” North snaps knowing they need to be quick.

“There’s a lot of keys here!” Ada retorts quickly handing North another key, which does not work again.

“I really feel like you’re not even trying right now, Ada.” North comments as Ada continues to rummage through the box.

“I’m trying! Ah!” Ada squeaks as she hands North another incorrect key getting flustered under the pressure.

“No. Come on, Ada, give me ano…” North stops when Ada gives her the next key. “This isn’t even a car key!” Ada goes back to looking for the right car key as a wail is heard from behind them. North looks in the rear-view mirror to see a crowd of Riders heading towards them. “They’re coming.” She states.

“That’s a small key, that’s too small, too small!” Ada panics still searching through the box.

“Come on!” North encourages as the Riders get closer.

“Okay, here take this one.” Ada curtly remarks shoving another key into North’s hand.

This time the key fits into the ignition and the car roars “Whoa! Yes! Go, go, go!” Ada cheer smacking the dashboard while North laughs at her stupidity before throwing the car into reverse and starts backing up straight over a Ghost Rider. North stops out of surprise and turns to look at Ada, who looks back with the same before both of them almost start laughing. They then drive off.

~~~  
After a few minutes of driving, North asks Ada “Where does this take us?” referring to the road they’re currently driving down.

“The hospital.”

“Hospital? Why the…what the hell are we supposed to do at the hospital?” North asks confused on what Ada’s plan is.

“Hide. Look, we can’t outrun them, right?” Ada explains looking at North “I know every inch of that building. Every room, every corner.”

“Hide, that’s the best that we’ve got?”

“We just need to keep them away from Nines for as long as possible.” Ada continues to explain.

“Why? What’s he gonna do?” North questions still not getting the plan.

“He’s gonna remember.”

“Remember what?” North asks curtly trying to get Ada to get to the point.

“Gavin. He has to remember Gavin.”

“What if he can’t?” States North in a very serious tone.

Ada just stares forward coming to a disheartening realisation “The rest of us…we get forgotten.”

~~~  
Ada and North arrive at the hospital, park up the car and run towards the closest entrance. As they pass the ambulance, Ada stops staring at it and having a revelation.

“Ada, come on. We don’t have that much of a lead on them.” North reminds Ada, who completely ignores her and runs to the ambulance getting inside and turning on the sirens.

“What the hell are you doing?!” North screams as she runs to turn off the sirens only to be held back by Ada.

“Don’t! Don’t turn it off.” Ada demands, shoving North away from the ambulance.

“You want to bring them all here? Every single one of them?” North irately argues trying again to get to the ambulance.

“That exactly what I want to do,” Ada shouts shoving North off again “‘Cause if the Ghost Riders are here that means they’re not trying to get to Nines.” She explains.

“So, you don’t care if they get to you?” Ada asks still angry but with a slight hint of concern bubbling up in her tone.

“They’re gonna get to all of us eventually.”

“You!” North snaps her previous concern vanishing “You’re going first. That’s the only reason I’m with you. Because while they’re busy wrapping a whip around your neck, or shooting a hole in your head, I’ll be running the other direction. I’m on your side as long as it helps me.”

“Trust me, I know,” Ada replies shoving North one more time. They stare at each other for a few seconds as the blaring of the sirens fill the silent tension before North decides to turn and go into the hospital. As she turns Ada catches a site of what seems to be welled up tears shimmering in the flashing lights around them.

Ada takes a minute to collect her thoughts and emotions again before following North into the hospital only to walk in on North staring down a corridor completely spaced out, shaking slightly with a panicked look on her face.

Concerned Ada takes a few, slow steps towards her “North? North?!” she asks trying to get her attention.

After a few more seconds, North comes out of her daze and shakes her head before bluntly replying “I’m fine.” Before deciding to explain “Just, just thought I was somewhere else for a second.”

“Where?” Ada asks worry filling her voice.

“In a bad dream,” North mutters tears welling up in her eyes but before she could continue a loud bang reverberated through the room caused by the wind slamming the door of the hospital open. The girls whip their heads towards the door as North states “You said you knew where to hide.”

“Follow me,” Ada replies before running down the corridor North close on her heels. They run down corridor after corridor until Ada spots a door labelled the morgue and wanders inside.

Once inside, Ada pushes one of the autopsy tables to barricade the door as North complains “This is your brilliant idea? To barricade ourselves in the morgue?”

“The Ghost Riders go after the living. So, we hide with the dead.” Ada explains calmly while walking over to one of the refrigerated draws opening it see that it has a corpse in it.

“I’m not getting in one of those.” North states plainly.

Ada nods looking like she wants to barf “Me neither.” before closing the draw turning back to North, who keeps checking the corridor with the window in the door.

“You should’ve left me in the holding cell.” North remarks over the siren that can still be heard in the distance.

“I should have left you in the ground.” Ada retorts going completely against what she actually thought.

North turns to look at her “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, really.”

“What do you think I was doing down there. Just hanging out with my dead sister? Having a good time catching up on childhood memories?” North argues irately.

“I think you were rotting down there.”

“Ada finally gets one thing right.” North sarcastically comments before turning to check if the corridor was still clear.

“I also think whatever happened to you, you deserved it." Ada says walking closer to North.

“Is that right?”

“When the Ghost Riders find us, I’m not gonna do anything for you. I’m not gonna help you. I’m not gonna save you. I’m gonna do exactly what you would do to me. I’m gonna use you as bait.” Ada threatens never taking her eyes off of North.

North turns to say something back to Ada when the siren in the background suddenly stops drawing their attention away from each other. “You still hear the ambulance?” North asks. Ada looks around trying to focus. “The siren, can you still hear it?” North asks again more urgently.

They both take a deep breath as they realise that the Ghost Riders were in the hospital.

~~~  
The two girls wait listening as the Ghost Riders split up to check the hospital systematically. The Riders start getting closer and closer until they are in the same corridor as them about five in the corridor each checking a single door.

As soon as one of the Riders is in front of the morgue door, Ada and North push the autopsy table through the door ramming the Rider against the opposing wall and pinning him there. They walk out from behind the table to check if the Rider was subdued only to look up down the hall to see the rest of the Riders on the corridor standing there raising their guns.

“Hide with the dead?” North comments deadpan.

“It was worth a try.” Responds Ada as she turns and runs around the nearest corner swiftly followed by North just as the Riders started firing.

As Ada rounds the corner, she runs into another Rider and starts wrestling it gaining the upper hand to prevent it from shooting at her until it grabs her by the neck and slams onto a nearby trolley stunning her. It then steps back getting ready to shoot when North comes charge out from where she was hiding tackling the Rider into another room preventing it from shooting. Ada gets up from the trolley and grabs a crutch, which she uses to jam the door to the room where the Rider is imprisoned.

The girls take a second to catch their breaths looking into each other's eyes in awe of what they had just done chuckling slightly before they hear another crash and the sound of a window breaking.

“They’re everywhere.” North comments worried.

“Good.” Ada remarks nodding her head determinedly taking North by surprise who then looks at her dumbfounded but concerned.

“Really?” North asks sarcastically “You really need me to remind you that getting captured isn’t gonna help you save your friends?”

Ada is about to respond when she hers foots steps approaching from down the hall so stops and starts, seeing shadows appearing from round the corner. North realising what Ada just saw whips her head around to stare down the corridor.

North turns to Ada and says sincerely stepping closer to her “Look, I’m not getting captured for.”

“I’m not getting captured for you either.” Replies in the same tone and moving closer as well staring at North and then at the wall suddenly feeling self-conscious “But, I will fight with you.” Turning her head so that she was again staring into North’s eyes.

The two of them continued to stare at each other for another minute, every so often their eyes would flick to the other’s lips a strange force almost drawing them closer until they hear a stomp of a Ghost Rider foot coming very close breaking them out of the trance. North shakes her head and looks down sighing “Okay, let’s fight.”

They both turn to the group of Riders that had gathered at the end of the hallway and roar, wolfing out with both their eyes glowing blue before they charge down the hall together getting ready for one last fight.

At one point during the fight, the two get separated into two adjacent rooms. Ada was wrestling with one Rider with a gun in one room while North is knock off her feet in the corridor right outside by another’s whip. North crawls along the floor still facing the Rider until she finds a bone saw lying on the ground, she grabs it and jumps off the floor swinging it into the Rider’s neck killing it. North huffs slightly proud of herself before turning around straight into another Rider who starts choking her.

Ada hears North shouting in pain just as she is able to gain the upper hand in her own wrestling match by elbowing the Rider in the head. She glances sideways and sees the North. In a split-second decision, Ada grabs the wrist of the Rider she is fighting and twists it so that the rider is pinned to the table they were just fighting by and shoots the gun at the other Rider choking North causing it to disappear is a cloud of green smoke. She then turns gun on the Ghost Rider she is fighting and fires again.

Ada immediately rushes over to North, who is still crouched on the floor trying to catch her breath and helps her up. She reaches to put a hand on North’s cheek only to be stopped by the sight of more Ghost Riders gathering at the other end of the corridor. Ada gets ready for another fight but North spots the elevator behind them as seems to come up with an idea. She looks between Ada and the elevator before running to the elevator and pressing the call button. She runs back to Ada as the elevator doors open and grabs her around the waist dragging her to the elevator and chucking her in it.

“W-what are you doing?” Ada stutters from her position on the elevator floor.

“Being the bait,” North says a smirk appearing on her face as the elevator bings and the doors start to close.

Ada jumps up from the floor running to get out of the elevator only to be met with the doors themselves. “No!” She screams as all she can do is listen as North turns roaring to face the group of Ghost Riders in a fight only to be captured by the hunt in one finally yell.

The world around her seems to fall into slow motions as she starts bawling her eyes out struggling to remain anchored to her human side. She sees her eyes flicker between her glowing blue eyes and her human eyes as she collapses onto the floor in grief. Inside her, her inner wolf was screaming for her to save North, to save her mate. ‘Wait…’ Ada thought ‘mate? No, she can’t be my mate. I hate her. But there is this inexplicable force that keeps drawing me to her but no, she can’t be…unless?’ Then it dawns on her that North truly was her mate. It was the reason she always felt concerned for her even if North had turned evil for a while and the reason why she came up with the plan to bring her back. This realisation makes her breakdown even more. Ada screams and cries at the world before the rage builds up so much that she punches the wall beside her leaving a massive dent. Then she decides that right now is not the time to lose all control, she needs to find Nines and get North back. So, she starts taking deep breaths and repeating her mantra over and over until she is in control again.

She then stands silent for second and realises that there is no one else in the building so she goes to the doors of the elevator and uses all of her strength to force open the doors. She steps out into the wasteland of the hospital, the lights flickering overhead like in a horror movie. She walks down the hallways the confirmation that North was actually taken starting to overwhelm her again until she hears a clacking coming from somewhere. She follows the sound to see old fashion arrival and departure train station signs on the wall in front of her, the clacking stopping as the arrival sign says, ‘Detroit arriving On Time.’ Ada mutters under her breath “Nines needs to see this.”

Ada takes off running out of the hospital and again follows Nines’ sent through the sewer systems until she finds him at the bunker just as he’s about to close the door on her. She explains that there is something that Nines needs to see immediately before running back towards the hospital Nines following after her after telling Chris and Connor to stay in the bunker.

~~~  
When Ada and Nines arrive at the hospital, they see train track running through the main corridor leading to the signs.

“This is happening everywhere?” Nines asks confused and concerned as he starts walking down the track.

“Here, the school, lacrosse field,” Ada explains following Nines down the track.

“What does this mean?” Nines asks turning back to look at the signs.

“It means…It’s working.” A recognisable voice says from behind them. They both turn around to see Kamski standing in the middle of the train track smiling at them.

Kamski and Nines roar at each other getting ready to fight. Ada comments “He can’t take both of us.”

“No way,” Nines responds getting ready to charge but before he could Kamski orders “Hollenhund.” And Markus comes up from behind them, eyes glowing ghostly green with green embers sparking off of him.

Markus slowly starts walking towards Ada and Nines while Nines begs him to stop “Markus. Markus, you don’t wanna do this. Stop!”

“The train is coming, boys. There’s no stopping the Wild Hunt. You’ll make a fine Ghost Rider, Nines. And I’ll have a true Alpha by my side.” Kamski explains as he slowly walks towards them. “And then a Banshee, were-coyote…”

“A Gavin” Gavin states as he comes out of the room he was hiding in and hits Kamski with a metal baseball bat full force knocking him to the floor and causing Markus to stop in his tracts. “Bad guy, right? I didn’t misread that?” Nines nod confirmation “Oh God!” Gavin remarks quickly stepping to the side as Kamski gets back to his feet.

Using his initiative, Nines quickly grabs hold of Markus and throws him at Kamski finally knocking him out and stunning Markus.

Gavin turns to Nines and drops his bat before running over and passionately kisses him like the world depended on it. The kiss ended and they just rested their foreheads together not noticing the fact that Markus was getting up again.

“Hey, hey hey!” Ada shouts hitting Gavin on the shoulder trying to get his attention, which she did only that instead of him realising the threat he started hugging her saying “It’s so good to see you.”

“Yeah, no, yeah! It’s great to see you too Gavin.” Ada responds patting him on the back then pointing at what was happening behind them “But, uh…” before she could say anything a mixture of orange and green light filled the air as Markus set himself alight catching Gavin’s attention.

“Okay. Yeah, we should go.” Gavin remarks before turning and running with the others as a giant fireball is sent down the corridor by Markus “Go. Go, go.”

They run down a few corridors until they reach another hallway with the station signs. Gavin stops before ducking into the room on the right of the hall commenting “Can’t believe I’m gone a couple of days; the whole place falls apart.”

“No, you were gone for three months,” Nines replies as Gavin comes out of the room not finding what he was looking for.

“I was…What?” Gavin remarks stopping for a second before heading into the room opposite noting “Okay, if they don’t let me graduate, I swear to God…”

“What are you looking for?” Ada asks perplexed

“Ah! This.” Gavin states as he brings out a liquid nitrogen extinguisher “And him.” as he nods his head towards Markus, who was fully on fire, making his way towards them. “Grab him” Gavin instructs getting a confused look from the other two “Grab him now.”

Nines and Ada charge at the growling Markus and grab him pinning him against the wall as Gavin douses him with the extinguisher. As Markus is extinguished, he collapses onto the floor against the wall.

“Ah! God, ow!” Ada squeals as she starts patting herself down as if she was on fire.

“Ada, you’re fine.” Gavin scolds.

“God, that doesn’t feel good. You know?” Ada whines.

“Gavin? What are you doing here?” A voice asks and they look down to see that Markus is conscious and fully himself again. Gavin asks him to fill them in on what Kamski is planning, which he does. Markus explains that Kamski is merging the real world and the world of the hunt so that the Ghost Riders could cross over, and Ada adds that Kamski wants to have the Riders as his own supernatural army.

Nines then asks about how to stop it from happening to which Markus replies that they couldn’t stop the train from coming but they could divert it and goes on to explain that there is a track divert situated in the woods near the school.

With that Nines, Gavin and Ada start heading towards the school discussing options for a plan as they travel.

~~~  
When they reach the school, Gavin asks “Okay, how the hell do you “merge worlds? Okay, nowhere in the manual does it say that werewolves can do that. And Nines and I pretty much wrote the manual.”

“We can’t even move between them, all right?” Nines adds trying to calm Gavin down “Look what it took to break you out.”

Gavin and Nines stop realising that Ada had stopped while she was deep in thought “We can’t move between worlds. But Tina can.” Ada explains “She can exist in both worlds.”

“And he can take people with him,” Nines adds catching on Ada’s train of thought.

“At Nines’ house, she pulled a Ghost Rider into our world.” Ada’s continues on more determined

“At the lacrosse game, she brought us into theirs.” Nines finishes.

“What if that’s how Kamski is doing it? What if Tina’s the key?” Ada questions.

“Interesting theory, okay? Solid logic. It is, but he’s in there and we’re out here.” Gavin replies “So, the only way to save everyone now is to divert the train.”

“We have to find her,” Ada mutters firstly meaning Tina but also meaning North.

“How?”

“I’m going into the Hunt,” Ada states fully determined.

“No, no, no. Ada, I think you’re confused,” Gavin responds stepping closer to Ada “we’re trying to get people out of the Hunt.”

“She can get taken by a Ghost Rider,” Nines suggests but Ada isn’t listening. She’s noticed some ghostly green glowing imprints of horseshoes in the wet next to the tracts that they are walking on and has a realisation.

“I-I don’t need to get taken to get into the Hunt.” Ada blurts out excitedly.

“Okay,” Gavin replies cautiously “Seems like you got an idea, let’s disc…” But before he could finish his sentence Ada was already running off to fulfil her plan. “Where are you going?” Gavin shouts after her.

“I’ll be back!” is all he gets in reply.

Ada runs through the school and up flights of stairs that lead to a balcony looking over the lacrosse field in which stood one of the Ghost Riders horses alone with no rider. “I hate horses,” Ada mutters as she prepares to try and jump onto it “Nice horse.” She tries to soothe as she climbs up onto the railing only to be attacked from behind by a Ghost Rider who puts her in a chokehold.

Ada wrestles with the Rider trying to get free but failing until North comes charging in covered in charred skin, her clothes covered in burn holes but still looking beautiful as ever, and stabs the Ghost Rider in the back making it release Ada.

Ada stumbles away from the ensuing fight trying to catch her breath. Once she does, she turns back to North with tears in her eyes and says in awe “You made it out!”

“Yeah, barely!” North responds still struggling with the Rider.

“You need a hand?”

North sighs “I’m good.” Before spinning the Rider around so that he is pinned against the railings and then roundhouse kicking it unconscious.

Ada stands there for a second in complete shock before walking forwards towards North with tears in her eyes. She jokes “Why do you keep saving me?”

“ ‘Cause there’s this force that keeps drawing me to you,” North replies in complete honesty “Whenever you’re in danger it seems like my inner wolf is crying for me to help you so I have to.” North finishes with a little chuckle slowly inching towards Ada herself.

“I have that exact same feel, ya know?” Ada whispers getting lost for words as they get so close that her nostrils are filled with the overwhelming scent of North “You think we’re maybe…”

“Mates?” North replies with a smirk.

“I hate you.” Ada chuckles.

“You love me.” North replies before initiating a kiss that made the world feel like it was in slow motions. It was the type of kiss that felt like it was going to last a lifetime, but time was not on their side. As soon as they separated North whispers “So what’s the plan?”

Ada scratches her neck looking slightly awkward and mutters “Uh, steal the horse and get to the Hunt."

“You’re kidding, right? I went through all this to keep you from being taken.” North sarcastically comments rolling her eyes. She sighs and then says “Okay, then go and save the day.” Before giving Ada a chaste kiss and signalling for her to jump onto the horse on the field below.

Ada yells as she takes a running leap over the railings and onto the horse, which whinnies out of surprise. Norths then jogs over to the railings looking over at Ada trying to get a horse under her control.

“You know how to ride a horse?” North asks jokingly.

“Not really,” Ada replies a little bit panicked.

North smirks at her mate as she rides off to get into the Hunt on an almost in control horse thinking ‘Why did I have to be mates with a dumbass.”


	7. Noir Au - 16th July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Detective Reed is in a slump, and it's going to take a good case to get him out of it. Full of robberies, gunshorts, goons, car chases, poisons, intrigue, and...well, kittens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 16 of Octopunk media's Detroit Evolution Artfest
> 
> Adapted from a part of the Penumbra Podcast episode Juno Steel and the Kitty-Cat Caper (part 1).  
> To find out what happens in the rest of the story I would recommend you go listen to the episode.

POV: Gavin

I sit in my office wallowing in my own self-pity looking out over the city of Detroit. When suddenly, I start hearing a muffled, recorded elderly masculine voice start talking about how bad Detroit is and how he could improve it.

“Turn it off!” I shout through my office door at my irritating but genius secretary, Tina. She seemingly didn’t hear me because the voice continued to talk.

“Tina, I told you to turn that damn thing off!” but still she doesn’t turn it off and now the TV is starting play music as well.

“Tina!” I shout once again getting up and stomping through my office door to see her sitting at her desk watching the TV and not doing any work. I grab the remote at forcefully turn the TV off finally silencing the man and the music.

“Gavin, I was watching that!” Tina complains looking up at me.

“Yeah, I heard. From across the office!” I retort “I thought you were too smart to fall for commercials, Tina.

“That wasn’t a commercial, Gav. That was a speech by…”

“Someone trying to sell you an empty promise.” I interrupt curtly “Keep it off!” I turn to head back towards my office when Tina starts complaining again.

“But if I keep it off, how am I gonna tell when the North Star movie marathon comes on again?

I whip my head around disgruntled “Move marathon?!”

“Yeah, Gavin! They put the whole series of the Andromeda movies on a row, and they just…” she carries on explaining where the marathon had got up to and how the speech had interrupted but I cut her off getting annoyed “Tina!”

“Yeah, Gav?”

“Would you mind telling me why, exactly, I should pay you to watch a buncha dumb movies?!”

“They ain’t dumb!” Tina retorts before shrugging and explaining “And it ain’t like I got anything else to do.”

“Alright. Last straw!” I shout as I walk over to the monitor and start trying to remove.

“Gavin? What do you think you’re doing?”

“Taking your monitor,” I say while straining to try and lift it “Maybe now you’ll get some work done.”

“Gavin?!” Tina shouts as I realise that it was screwed to the desk so I start unscrewing it “No! you can’t just do that!” Tina continues as I finally can pick the monitor up with a grunt “This is inhuman, Gavin! I tell you, it violates my rights!”

“Get back to work!” I snap as I start walking to my office her monitor in my hand.

“Doing what, exactly?” Tina barks “Gavin, you know we ain’t had a case in weeks. This ain’t fair. Just ‘cause you turned down every case that comes through the door.”

I stop in my tracks, the monitor slipping from my hands causing Tina to gasps, and whip around to face Tina, who is still in shock, and asks menacingly “Because I do what?”

“It’s true, Gav. We’ve had three cases come int just this past week and you turned down every one of them.” Tina explains.

“And you think that’s my fault” I respond exacerbated “That Milton guy was nuts and… everybody knows Paulina Banner’s broke.”

“But, what about the…the…the jewellery store that got robbed over in Elysium Square?” Tina continued earning a groan from me, “And last week, and the week before that. Gav, you’ve been different ever since your eye blew up. Real different.”

“Knock it off, Tina,” I growl trying to warn her not to carry on with the subject but of course she did.

“You’re cranky all the time. I mean, you were always cranky, but this is different. And it was okay, to start you just showed up with an eyepatch one day and after I was so worried about you ‘cause you disappeared, but you said it was okay. So, I thought, okay maybe we can dress up and but a little parrot like all the pirates get in the movies.” Tina monologues not noticing how tense I was getting.

“Stop.”

“But then you did a few cases, and okay, so they didn’t go so good, but it ain’t like anyone’s head got crushed or nothing. Not like in this movie I saw last week – it was real scary, Gav. I don’t remember where the story was going but my point is, you got mean, Gavin. And now, look at the monitor’s in a billion pieces on the floor. And I want my old boss back!” She finally finishes and I wait a few seconds before speaking.  
“Tina.” I sigh rubbing my forehead “It’s just a dry spell. That’s all.” I state before giving her a small reassuring smile.

Tina stares at me with a serious tone and remarks, “That’s the problem, Gav. You always get like this when you don’t have a case.”

“I…Yeah, sure. I guess” I concede shaking my head.

“Well, I’m glad you see the error of your ways” Tina sighs before pointing at my office door and demanding, “Now, go take a little nap in your office and I’ll call you just as soon as the next case comes through the door.”

“I don’t need a nap.” I pout as I turn around heading towards and shouting over my shoulder “This is just a dry spell, Tina. A dry spell!” I stop at my office door and turn to Tina smirking “Every business has one, and even when it’s dry as jerky in the deserts in the goddamn Sahara, every secretary in those businesses finds something to do.”

Tina smirks back at me retorting, “Yeah, yeah. Real sure, Gav. Have a nice nap.” While giving me a little sarcastic wave.

“A nap.” I chuckle as I pass through the doorway into my office wandering over to my chair before flopping into it as it creaks with the frustration of taking my weight.

‘There’s an old song about Detroit that says it’s the place where fantasies come to life.’ I start getting lost in thought as I stared into nothingness. ‘And even if that son was paid for by the Detroit Tourism Department, it’s got a half a ring of truth to it.

The fantasy's not just on the streams here, wither. The movies about chainmail warriors and evil wizards with magic belts. Magicians and monsters walk these streets. If you look, you’ll see lawyers who can make murder charges vanish into thin air. Criminals who can kill from the shadows and disappear in a puff of smoke. Politicians who promise to conjure a past that never was. And if you’re really lucky, you might even see a cyclops who thinks he’s a detective.’ I sigh chuckling to myself ‘My name’s Gavin Reed. I’m a private eye, or…I was. Until recently. These days I’m a myth I never thought I’d live long enough to be: a has-been.’

“Gavin, I better hear snoring in there.” I hear Tina shout through the office door, muffled by my ever-spiralling thoughts.

‘The last half-year’s been rough on the Reed Detective Agency. After I came out of the whole Miasma mess having lost an eye and…an opportunity, I was ready to jump right back into business, give the city the scrubbing it needed. And then I took my first case.

I was on the trail of a murderer and it came down to a rooftop getaway. Standard procedure. The culprit was just ahead of me, I had my gun in my hand and a clear shot. I took aim and…Well?... He got away.

And, seeing as my aim is one of the only skills keeping me in this business, that seemed like a sign to me. The beginning of the end for Gavin Reed, private eye.

Who the hell was I kidding? Who was I trying to fool?’

I shake myself out of my thoughts feeling the weight of the world crash down on me as I shout to Tina through the door, “Hey, Tina. Cancel that order for a new case, I’m feeling…under the weather today.”

“What?!” I hear her shout in shock before hearing the scrapping of a chair on the ground and footsteps heading towards my door. Then there was a head poking around the door. “But Gavin, you can’t. You gotta take a new case. You gotta help people” Tina encourages as she walks into my office.

I shake my head muttering, “They don’t want the kind of help they’d get from me, Tina. I haven’t done anything good for anybody in months.”

Tina stands up straighter and looks me straight in the eyes passionately remarking “Of course you have. You got Mick out of all that trouble with the shark.”

“It was a loan shark, Tina, I paid him.” I retort offhandedly.

“Well…you got Ada out of Detroit, didn’t you?”

“That was you,” I say rolling my eyes.

“Well, it was your idea.” Tina tries to give me some credit. “And…and…hey! Uh, because of you, Kamski is dead!”

“That supposed to make me feel better?” I question deadpan.

“He was a real mean man, Gavin. I’m sure it makes someone feel better.” Tina tries to reassure me.

“Right.” I sigh turning my chair around before instructing Tina while waving my hand flippantly, “Close up the office for today. I’ll let you know in the morning whether to bother opening again.”

Tina stomps her foot looking around the room trying to think of something to say to encourage me “Well…what if it’s an emergency, Gav? What if someone comes in here and you gotta save the day?”

“Ha!” I bark turning my chair back around to look at Tina. “Alright, you know what?” Fine, if someone comes through that door shouting about how it’s a life or death situation and I’m the only one who can help, I’ll take the case but don’t hold your breath, Tina. Because there is nobody in this town stupid enough to…”

“Is this the office of Gavin Reed, Private Investigator?” A panicked, shaky voice asks from the main door of the office.

“Used to be,” I remark monotony not even looking towards the voice, “Who…”

“Of course, it is!” Tina interrupts me excited. “And how can we help you?”

“Oh, thank heavens! I was so worried that I’d come up all this way… and when she’s still at home in that…state!” The client anxiously responds taking a short breath before continuing, “Detective Reed, you’re the only one who can help me. It’s a life or death situation.”

“It’s a…” I start before whipping my head towards where the voice was talking to see a tall, lean man dressed all in black standing at the door. His eyes an ocean blue with a mop of chestnut brown hair elegantly flopped to one side even though he looked very panicked and like he had just ran a marathon to get here. I blink a few times to try and focus again muttering, “what did you just…”

Tina stifles a laugh, looking very smug before clearing her throat and asking the client, “I’m sorry sir, could you just repeat that last part just one more time, please?”

“There’s no time!” The man responds walking swiftly over to me and grabbing my wrist pulling me out of my chair and starting to drag towards the door. “You have to come with me. Now!”

“Hey! Let go of me.” I shout as I try to get of his iron grip but ultimately failing.

I look back at Tina pleading for her to help but all she says is “Looks like Gavin Reed Investigations is back open for business, eh, boss? Have fun on your case, keep in touch. I’ll be in your office and just if you’re gonna call, try to do it during the commercials, okay?” She then gives me a little wave.

“Damnit, Tina!” I mutter under my breath.

“Quickly, Detective.” The client says finally letting go of my wrist as we exit the building onto the street before he starts power walking off remarking, “Quickly!”

The man dragged me to his apartment in no time. She only lived a few blocks south and, based on how fast he was talking and walking, she was either full of panic or neo-methamphetamine.

He opened the front and walked a few steps into his apartment remarking, “In here, in her!” He then turns to me looking me straight in the eye “You have to help, detective. Thalia, she’s just not right, and you have to help, have to five who did this to her before…”

“Woah, woah, woah. Slow down.” I interrupt trying to call him down. “You call an ambulance yet?”

“Well, they’d be no help at all.” He comments while walking around me to close his front door.

“What?” I exclaim thoroughly confused “Uh…never mind. How about the cops?”

“Of course not!” The client says disgruntled. “They’re too far away. What’s why I came to you, Detective. You’re closest P.I. to my apartment.”

I roll my eyes sarcastically and mutter under my breath, “Glowing! You put that in the review when this is over.” Then I look at him and signal to him to show me the issue. “All right, all right, bring me to…Thalia?”

“Some must have done this to her, Detective. She was fine just this morning. Then I got home from the office and she was in this horrible, horrible, horrible state.” He manically explains as he leads us further into his flat.

“Sounds horrible.” I agree deadpan. “Who is she, anyway? Wife? Girlfriend?”

“Detective!” He gasps offended before he whips around and slaps me.

“Ow!” I grumble while rubbing my cheek.

“I am not going to stand here and let you slander my sweet Thalia. She is certainly nobody’s girlfriend; I wouldn’t let her be so fast and loose. She’s a good little kitty.” The client continues ranting.

I pull my hand away from my face in shock and state “Good little…what?” Then I hear a little meow from behind me and see a cat trotting in towards her owner.

“There, you see? There’s something not…right about her.” He points at her as she stars wrapping herself between his legs, her tag jingling. “Oh, it’s wrong, wrong, all wrong.” He picks her up and she starts rubbing her head along his chin. “Thalia, my sweet, what’ve they done to you. What’ve they done?!” He questions her only getting a purr in response.

“Thalia’s…a cat. And you’re…a nut.” I comment shaking my head before turning to head back to the door.

“My name’s Nines Kamski, Detective Reed. Someone’s done something to my poor little kitty and I will pat you handsomely to bring the full force of the law down upon them.” Nines explains making my stop in my tracts.

I looked between the two of them. Cat to owner, and back again. And it didn’t look like there was anything wrong with the cat, it was even a pretty one…as far as cars went. With fur in chestnut brown with stripes of black and eyes glittering like emeralds. The only thing that looked wrong with the cat was its owner.

I sigh before conceding, “So, you keep saying you cat…”

“Thalia.” He cuts me off

“Your…Thalia. You keep saying something’s wrong with her. She looks alright to me.” I comment getting slightly disgruntled.

“Well, she isn’t.” Nines disagrees bluntly “She’s been off since the moment I came home.”

I look at him perplexed before asking him, “Off? As in, acting funny? How so?” I take a notepad out of my jacket ready to write down any information given.

“Well, Thalia loves Tuna Brick, first of all. And, here, I’ll show you.” He responds putting Thalia down and walking over to his fridge.

He opened his fridge, and lined on every shelf sat plate after plate of gelatinous aquatic protein substitute: Tuna Brick. She set the plate on the floor, the cat walked over, and ate it.

“See? See!” Nines exclaims point at the cat, which was currently eating the brick while purring.

“It…looks like she still likes Tuna Brick,” I respond still confused.

“Exactly!” He shouts “She like Tuna brick, she does not love Tuna Brick. Thalia loves Tuna Brick.”

I chuckle before retorting quietly, “Yeah, I got pretty strong feelings about it, too.”

“And it isn’t just the Tuna Brick” He continues, “Her meow has been different, pained, in some way.” He waits a few seconds staring right at me “So, did you make the deduction yet?”

“Excuse me?” I ask baffled.

“What’s wrong with Thalia?” Nines encourages “It’s as plain as the eyepatch on your face, Detective.”

I stand there shocked for a few seconds just staring at him before stuttering out, “It…is?”

“Of course, it is. Pippa is cursed, Detective. Cursed!” Nines responds as if the statement was the most obvious thing in the world.

“I…yeah, there’s no way I heard that right,” I comment shaking my head in disbelief.

“Someone has come in here and cursed my sweet little kitten. Bewitched her! Cast a terrible spell.” He continues ignoring my comment.

“A terrible smell is right. Those bricks stink.” I remark before walking over to a nearby window asking, “You mind if I open the window a minute?”

“The windows have always stuck.” He waves a hand dismissively “Just open the door to the balcony.” He instructs so I walk over to his balcony door as he resumes “Zoological law is admittedly not my area of legal expertise.”

I cut him off by opening the door causing it to creak as I mutter under my breath, “You don’t say” but then I notice something off. “Hang on,” I mumble as I fiddle with the door’s lock.

“But I would assume that it is still illegal to cast curses on other’s pets, yes?” Nines continues his rant completely oblivious to what I was doing. “Yes? We can’t have fallen that far as a society, even here. If we allow curses, we might as well return to the Dark Ages.”

I turn to her and ask, “Has anything else strange happened in your apartment recently?”

“No.”

“Nothing out of place, nothing…missing?” I continue to interrogate.

“No. Why do you ask?” He answers looking confused.

“I got good news and I got bad news, Mr Nines.” I start before continuing, “Good news is that I think I know what’s wrong with you cat. I mean…Thalia. She’s been spoked.”

“Yes! That’s exactly what I’ve been saying, spooked. A…a dark spirit conjured by some nefarious…”

“No, no, not cursed.” I cut him off then explain, “Spooked as in scared, because, here’s my bad news, somebody broke into your apartment!”

His expression turned from confusion to shock as he processes what I just said. “Somebody…what?”

“This back door, you got an analog lock on it. We’re talking brass key, not card key.” I say explaining my deduction.

“My landlord says it’s more secure. Hackers…”

“Well, your landlord’s full of it.” I cut him off continuing my justification, “Burglars figured out the analog lock thousands of years ago. You stick in the right kind of tool, give it a good whack, and the door swings right open. See, look at these shiny little nicks around your keyhole, that’s where your perp hit it.”

Nines gives me a small nod of appreciation before commenting “That’s very impressive, Detective Reed.”

“Yeah, it ain’t bad.” I remark before asking again, “You’re absolutely sure nothing was taken?”

He shakes his head no, as he explains, “I don’t have anything to take. I keep all of my papers and valuables at the office, but…”

“They must have taken something.” I again interrupt exacerbated, “Job like this they had to be casing the apartment for weeks ahead of time.”

“But, Detective, I think you may have forgotten…” Nines tries to speak to me as my thoughts frantically run through my head.

I speak over him reassuring, “Don’t worry yourself about it, Mr Nines. I’ll find your burglar in no time. I’ll just take a look around the apartment, see if they left anything behind.” As soon as I finish my sentence, I start walking around the apartment methodically searching for any clues.

Nines gives a little huff then stamps his feet and asserts, “Detective Reed, I think you may have lost track of what’s important here.”

“Oh, wow. Thanks for reminding me.” I chuckle before turning back to my search. “For all of the payment stuff you’re going to have to call my office, just make sure you turn the volume down on your phone first, or else…”

“Thalia, Detective! You’ve forgotten about Thali!” He cuts me off screaming frustrated.

“About who?” I look up at him trying to remember. “The cat! Oh, I figured out the cat. It’s scared because someone broke into your apartment.”

Nines shakes his head before suggesting, “Something is wrong Detective! I’ve seen Thalia scared and she’s nothing like this. She has been cursed. The Tuna Brick does not lie, Detective. The Tuna Brick is absolute!”

“Oookay…I think I see your point, Mr Nines.” I say cautiously trying to calm him down.

“There” Nines sighs relieved. “That wasn’t so difficult, was it, Detective?”

“I wouldn’t call it easy, either. Well, I think I’ve got everything I need, Mr Nines. I’ll show myself out.” I placate trying to get out of the apartment as quickly as I can.

“You’ve gathered all your clues. Really?” Nines asked clearly surprised.

“Really.”

Nines looked a bit troubled before saying, “But…but what about Thalia? Won’t you need to…to show her to an expert of some sort?”

I stop walking towards the door having a lightbulb moment. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea, at all. I just take a picture of kitty-kitty over here.” I turn around taking out my phone and snap a pic of Thalia. “And I’ll be on my way.”

Just as I was about to start walking towards the door again Nines stops me by asking, “When can I call again, Detective? I have to know as soon as possible when this nightmare will end.”

“Sir, I’ve been thinking that ever since I walked in here,” I mutter under my breath looking down at my feet.

“What was that?”

I suddenly look up panicking as I tried to find something to say. “Uh…I said, let me call you, Mr Nines. I’ll let you know as soon as I find a lead.”

“Then let me give you my number.” Nines offers putting his hand out.

“No need, no need. I’ll just, uhhh…deduce it.” I lie through my teeth. “I’m a detective, remember? That’s what I do.”

Nines nods clearly not fully convinced but goes along with it saying, “Ah! Very impressive. Well, if you need me, I’m always in the apartment between four and six in the afternoon. The legal office has me on call then. But I’m so glad you came. I just know Thalia’s in good hands.”

I finally make it to the door and open it commenting, “That makes one of us.” Before turning to face Nines and dismissing myself. “Buh-bye, Mr Nines.”

As I am crossing the threshold into the outside world Nines taking a few swift steps forwards realising, “Oh, Detective, I just have six more things to mention…” He is cut off by the door I so happened to have accidentally let go of closing in his face.

“Glad that’s over” I mumble as I begin my journey back to the office.

‘Well, so much for that case.’ I think slowly getting caught up in my inner monologue again. ‘But that’s how it goes in Detroit. The universe dangles hope out in front of you and yanks it away right when your mouth starts to water. Maybe it is too late. Maybe the last case at Gavin Reed Investigation really is the…’ I’m suddenly brought out of my brain as I feel my feet being taken out from under me luckily enough, I have the reflexes of a cat and am able to catch my balance.

“The hell?” I question as I look down at the street to see a cat. ‘It was that damn cat again.’ I think

Emerald eyes, chestnut brown with black stripes, the little tag on its collar said ‘Thalia’. I looked up at Nines’ balcony and I saw her there, staring out over the city. And she was holding her cat.

‘The same goddamn cat’ The same thought flits through my head again confusing me even more. “You’re…but, you’re…up…there.” I mutter trying to get my head around it.

And then it clicked. There was a good reason Nines’ cat was acting funny, and it wasn’t because some goddamn wizard, either. Her cat wasn’t acting like her cat because it wasn’t her cat. Someone had switched it.

I sigh bending over towards the cat trying to get it to come to me. “Here…kitty. Here, kitty-kitty.”

I reached out to grab the cat, and it reached back…with a fistful of knives.

“Ow!” I shout pulling my hand back instinctively as it starts to run away. I jump up and scream after it “Hey, goddamn it, get back here!” before starting to run after it and now it seems like I am in a foot chase with a cat. Seems fun, let’s see where this leads me.


	8. #mutualpining - 21st July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tina is caught between two lovesick puppies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 21 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest

Tina walks into the breakroom going to grab her morning toast. She turns the corner to see Nines standing over a coffee mug not really making it as he was lost in thought, his LED shining yellow.

“You alright?” Tina asks Nines with a voice full of concern.

“Huh...Oh, hi Tina. Yeah. Do you think Gavin likes me?” Asks Nines still looking perplexed.

“What do you mean. Of course, he does!” Tina remarks.

“Really?” Nines responds in disbelief turning to look at Tina, “It just seems that whenever I try and get closer to him, he just pushes me away. It’s just…I don’t know. It’s just whenever I look at him, I feel like my heart skips a beat and I know that it’s anatomically not correct but I still feel like that.” Nines sighs leaning against the fridge next to him. “I can’t stop thinking about his hazel eyes and his charming scars and I just want to be there for him. But what if he doesn’t want me? I can’t be everything for him, I’m not designed to do that sort of stuff and what if that’s a deal-breaker?” Nines rants panicking, his LED whirling red, as he stares at Tina fearfully.

Tina takes a deep breath before putting a reassuring hand on Nine’s arm and saying “Gavin does like you. He’s just very insecure and has major trust issues so finds it hard to let people get close to him.” She pauses to think about her wording before continuing, “I don’t think Gavin cares about that, Nines. He’s said many a time that he just wants someone who would stick with him even on his worst days. Nines, just breathe, it’ll be alright. Talk with him. That’s the only way you’ll find out.”

Nines nods, his LED goes back to yellow and then blue as he finishes Gavin’s coffee and leaves the break room heading back to his and Gavin’s desk. Tina shakes her head, chuckling slightly before wandering back to her desk.

~~~  
A few hours later, Tina sees Nines standing up from his desks and heading towards the evidence room. She turns her head back towards Gavin’s desk to find him staring off into nothing. Tina walks over to Gavin waving a hand in front of his face. “Earth to Gavin.” she jokes “You alright?”

“Do you think Nines likes me?” Gavin asks still staring at the middle distance. Tin stifles a giggle causing Gavin to look at her and remark “What?! I’m serious.” Tina gives a small nod signalling for Gavin to continue. “I mean. I’m so mean to him, why would he?” Gavin sits back in his chair shaking his head “I just can’t stop fixating on his stupid ken-doll face and those f*cking piercing blue eyes and he just makes me feel…me feel…I don’t even f*cking know.” Gavin puts his face in his hands sighing, “It’s not like he’s gonna like me anyway. He’s so damn perfect and I’m lucky to be able to scrounge together enough parts to function in the morning. Ugh, just forget I said anything.” Gavin finishes with a defeated sigh turning his chair to face his desk and tries to dismiss Tina with a wave of his hand.

Tina sighs for the goodness-knows-how-many time today while shaking her head and she turns Gavin’s chair around to face her. She stares at him straight in the eyes and demands “Stop being so harsh on yourself, Gavin! You are so much more than you think. Talk with him, I think he likes you more than you believe.”

“Yeah, like that’ll ever happen.” Gavin comments, rolling his eyes as he turns away again.

Knowing she wouldn’t get any further, Tina walks back to her desk thinking ‘Why don’t they just ask each other out already.’ She looks back at Gavin’s desk to see him and Nines, who had just come back, flirtatiously bantering as usual. ‘How are they so oblivious?!’ she thinks as she chuckles getting back to her work.


	9. #Fakedating - 23rd July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody keeps asking if Gavin and Nines are together so they decide to go on the prank date. What could go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 23 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest

Nines and Gavin walk onto the crime scene and start looking for clues with their usual level of banter, every so often glancing at each other while the other was looking in another direction.

Across the street standing with some officers was as early-twenty-ish looking young man with a thin face and racoon eyes contrasting drastically with his snow-white face. The young man wore all black except for a feathery boa radiating blue and sunglasses on top of his jet-black hair which accentuated the red glow of the rims. In the back pocket of his jeans seemed to be a mannequin hand poking out, which he was constantly trying to keep hiding while taking handfuls of Cheez-its from a box he was holding. This young adult spies the two detectives and watches their every move as they came walking over to where he was standing.

“This the witness?” Gavin asked bluntly to one of the officers who only gave a curt nod.

“What’s your name, boy?” Gavin then asks turning towards the young man.

“Lazarus Fratello b-but most people call me Lazzo well by most people I mean me and…well…” Lazzo stutters out flailing his one free arm around.

“Wow, slow down. Just run us through what you saw.” Gavin instructs.

Lazzo starts running the two detectives through what he saw going off on tangents every few minutes only to be brought back by a stern look by Gavin. Once he was finished, Gavin handed him a card with the number for the station saying that if Lazzo remembers anything else to contact the station before giving Nines a look and they turn around in sync walking off.

Just as Nines and Gavin have taken a few steps, Lazzo takes a step forward saying, “One more thing,” which makes them stop in their track turning back towards Lazzo. “Are you two l-like a thing?” Lazzo asks cautiously while pointing between the two detectives in front of him.

“What?! No!” Both of them retort before glancing at each other and taking an awkward step away from the other, Nines’ LED whirling red.

“What do you even mean? We’re just…just friends.” Gavin frantically explains while Nines gives a curt nod, his LED turning back to blue. Gavin then turns on his heels and leaves the crime scene as swiftly as he can with Nines following close behind abandoning a flabbergasted Lazzo standing stuck to the spot.

~~~  
A few days later, Gavin was in the break room making his coffee when Tina ambushes him.

“Hey dipsh*t.” Tina says while chuckling, “I may have a question?” she asks sheepishly.

“Yeah?”

“Well, are you and Nines, you know, a thing?” Tina asks gesturing frantically.

“No, Tina!” Gavin barks distorting his face into disgust. “No…we are just friends, you know that. Nothing more.”

“Yeah, if you say so, Gavin,” Tina comments, her voice drowning with sarcasm, before walking off to her desk.

Gavin carries on making his coffee his mind whirling trying to think for reasons why people thought that him and Nines were together coming up completely blank until he had a genius idea. “Wait…I can make a prank out of this.” He chuckles before merrily walking back to his desk were Nines was sitting working on their latest case.

When he reaches the desk, he whispers to Nines “I need to talk to you, privately.” Before grabbing the very confused android by the wrist and dragging him into the vacated evidence room.

“Hey! What was that for?” Nines exclaims disgruntled.

“Do you want to prank some people?” Gavin asks, a mischievous smirk growing on his face.

“What?” Nines responds utterly confused “You need to explain your _genius idea_.” He pushes.

“You must have noticed that people keep asking us about whether you and I are in a relationship. Well, what if we went on a date and prank them into thinking we are actually dating.” Gavin explains proudly.

“But wouldn’t that make the situation worse?” Nines questions confused by Gavin’s logic.

“No, ‘cause when we tell them it was all a prank and that we’re just, you know, friends they’ll finally get it in their heads that we’re nothing more than that!”

“Umm…okay?” Nines agrees reluctantly, his LED flickering red for a second. “So, what are we going to do?”

“Just turn up at 7pm on Friday at the address I send to you. I’ll sort everything out.” Gavin states a creepy smile appearing on his face.

~~~  
Nines was not sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised as he arrived at the address Gavin has given him. In front of him was the gate of a Zen garden with Gavin leaning up against it looking smug.

“So, what exactly are we doing?” Nines asks incredulously.

“Well, we’re going to take a walk in the garden take some ‘couple-ly’ pictures which I’ll post online. And, don’t worry, I’ve made so no-one else is here.” Gavin explains before turning around and opening the gate leading Nines into the garden.

The two walk around the garden for what seemed like hours just talking about anything and everything stopping every so often to take a photo or for Nines to study the flowers that surrounded the path.  
Once they have finished their wandering through the garden, they went their separate ways back to their apartments. Gavin remarks that he will post the photos when he gets home as he walks away from Nines silently and gleefully wondering about everyone will react.

~~~  
The next day, the two detectives walk into the station to weird but cheerful looks and remarks from their colleagues. They continue their day as usual until Chris comes running over to their desk waving his phone, which seemed to have a picture pulled up on it, his face looking like a surprised Pikachu.

“You guys are together?!” Chris shouts “How did I not know!”

“Yeah, we are,” Gavin says while taking Nines hand while smiling. “We’ve been together for about…Ha!” Gavin breaks down into hysterics. “I can’t believe it worked so well. It was a prank, Chris! We’re not together at all, we’re just friends, that’s all.” Gavin explains between fits of laughter not noticing Nines’ LED flickering red as he says they were ‘just friends’.

Chris nods slowly trying to process what he just heard and then he starts chuckling, “Yeah, ok. I’m so stupid. Of course, you’re not together that would be ridiculous.”

Throughout the whole day, the two had to keep revealing it was a prank but they both couldn’t stop thinking about the actual date and how good it felt to just have a night alone without having to think about a case.

Near the end of the day, Gavin walks off towards the break room where Tina was standing making a coffee looking like he was lost in thought. Nines sits at his desk not really focused on anything, his LED whirling yellow. ‘Why can’t I stop thinking about the date? It isn’t like it meant anything. It was just for a prank.’ Nines thinks, getting very confused over his feelings. ‘It’s just Gavin thought so much over it and brought me to where I had wanted to go to for months but it’s not like I like him or anything…but why do I feel so hurt when he denies that we’re no more than friends. It’s not like I want another date with him, no…’ Nines shakes his head and tries to continue with the cases but fails getting too caught up in his spiralling thoughts.

When Gavin enters the break room, he heads straight to Tina saying “I need to talk to you, like now.”

“Okay?” Tina responds perplexed by the intensity.

“You know that the whole date thing with Nines was a prank, right?” Tina nods in reply. “But I can’t stop thinking about it. I don’t know…it just felt so nice just having an evening alone with Nines wandering around a peaceful garden with no-one badgering us about cases or anything else but I don’t like Nines like that w-we’re just friends, that’s all. Nothing but friends. It’s not like I want to ask him out on another date or anything.” Gavin finishes his rant looking up at Tina who just gives him a look that seems to say, ‘you are so oblivious.’

All of a sudden from across the station as if they had a physic connection both Nines and Gavin look straight ahead of them and mutter “Oh Sh*t!”


	10. Alternate Ending - 24th July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happens if Ada beats the Gavin, Nines, Chris and Tina but is unable to complete her original mission?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 24 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest
> 
> Sorry for how rushed it is as I have been rushing getting pack to move into my Uni accomodation today.

“Don’t do it. I will shoot you.” Chris instructs standing in from of Ada pointing his gun at her.

Without giving Chris a chance to do anything, Ada closes the gap between them grabbing his wrist wrestling to disarm him. Ada gets Chris to drop the firearm but no before he fires off two shots neither of them hitting her. She incapacitates Chris with one punch to his head making him crumple to the ground.

Ada turns quickly ready for another attack, but none came. She looks around her to see Gavin collapsed on the floor after being choke thrown into a nearby wall and Nines knelt on the floor his LED flickering red as thirium blossomed from a bullet wound near his collarbone.

She collects herself and walks over to the table with what is to be her new body on. As she reaches the table, she notices a spiderweb of cracks on the monitor with the percentage flickering at 95%. Her objective on her HUD then changes crossing out ‘Transfer into new body’ and replaces it with ‘Leave and hide until heat is off’.

Ada creeps over to the front door of the warehouse and opens the door a crack glancing out to see Tina approaching. She quickly sneaks out the side entrance of the warehouse and starts stealth her way back to the main city.

As she enters the more populated areas, Ada has to dodge the ever-present patrol cars and drones deciding to take a path through the alleyway and backstreets.

She swiftly makes her way through the winding maze of the alleyways turning corner after corner until she runs full force into another person. She barely stumbles backwards then looks up into the eyes of another android.

The android had beautiful brown eyes that shone elegantly with the moonlight. Her hair falls over her shoulders like an auburn waterfall framing her slender face like a masterful painting. She wore a small smile contrasting with Ada who wore no expression but something deep within her code felt off.

“Sorry, didn’t see you there.” The android says shifting her weight. “Name’s North.” She introduces herself signalling Ada to introduce herself as well.

“My name’s Ada. I’m sorry I ran into you.” Ada responds in her usual elegant, professional tone. Ada moves to walk around North and carry on her mission.

“Hold up,” North interjects stepping in front of Ada. “Where are you heading so quickly?”

Ada takes a step back before replying sharply, “I’m just trying to get somewhere and I’m late. It’s none of your business.”

North resigns stepping to the side allowing Ada through but before she could pass by her, North remarks “Ok, go get to wherever you need to get to but you don’t look like someone whose just going somewhere, you look like someone running from something. I can help if you need it.”

Ada turns around to look at North scanning her. On her HUD appeared: North, WR400 ‘Traci’ model. ‘She could be useful for a making a new body’ She thinks as the objective ‘Pursue North’ appeared.

“That would be great,” Ada replies smiling at North, who smiles back.

“Then follow me,” North announces before leading the way through the streets to an apartment, which she claimed to be hers.

Ada spent weeks with North getting to know her while trying to keep her distance so that when the times comes, she would not feel any guilt or remorse but why is she thinking like this. This not normal these are emotions and she doesn’t feel emotions. Then she realises that odd thing within her code had grown in the time she had been with North. ‘What is it?’ she thought ‘It can’t be deviancy.’

This feeling continues to grow until one day while Ada and North are wandering through the alleyways of their neighbourhood when they were ambushed by a group of anti-androiders. North immediately shoves Ada into an adjacent alleyway stepping in front of her to protect her.

“Ada, run. I’ll hold them off.” North shouts panicked just before she starts getting beaten by the group with baseball bats.

Ada tries to take a step forward, but a red pixilated wall appears before of her preventing her from getting to North. On the pixilated wall, there was ‘Do Not Intervene’ plastered across it. Suddenly she feels herself being pulled out of her body and feels the urge to break through the wall. She starts pushing on the wall with all her force. The wall puts up some resistance until she starts to feel it cracking beneath her force. She continues to try and breakthrough and then the wall crumbles and she is yanked back into her body.

Ada shakes her head getting orientated again before rushing forward towards the crumbled form of North surrounded by the thugs. When she reaches the group, she easily incapacitates the ambushers and crouches down in front of North.

She reaches her hand forward cupping North’s cheek causing her to look up at her. “Why did you do that for me?” Ada asks as tears well up in her eyes a wave of uncontrollable emotions washing over her. “You know I could have defended myself.”

“I did it…well, I did it ‘cause I love you.” North confesses avoiding Ada’s eyes.

Ada looks confused for a few seconds to try to understand what emotions that are overwhelming her mind “I-I love you too.” She stutters out finally coming to terms with her feelings. “But I can’t be with you. It’s not safe. I only stayed around because I was waiting for the right time to kill you and take your specialised part and…and…” Ada frantically mutters coming to a panicked realisation as she pulls away from North.

“That doesn’t matter.” North interrupts placing a comforting hand on Ada’s forearm. “That was your program. Your deviant now. You get to decide what you want to do and who you love. So, what do you choose?”

Ada stares at North for a few seconds processing what she just heard before kissing North elegantly but passionately taking North by surprise for a second before she kissed back. As soon as they separate North chuckles saying, “I guess I know what you choose.” Before they rest their foreheads together, the skin on their intertwined hands withdrawing.


	11. Jane Austen Au - 30th July

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At a ball, Nines unexpectantly asks for a dance with Gavin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day 30 of Octopunk Media's Detroit Evolution Artfest
> 
> Adapted from Chapter 18 of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Till Gavin entered the drawing-room at Netherfield and looked in vain for Miss Wickham among the cluster of officers assembled, a doubt of her being present had never occurred to him. The certainty of meeting her had not been checked by any of those recollections that might not unreasonably have alarmed him. He had dressed with more than usual care and prepared in the highest spirits for the conquest of all that remained unsubdued of his heart, trusting that it was not more than might be won in the course of the evening. But in an instant arose the dreadful suspicion of his being purposely omitted for Nines’ pleasure in Ada’s invitation to the officers; and though this was not exactly the case, the absolute fact of her absence was pronounced by her friend Miss Astia, to whom Lazzo eagerly applied, and who told them that Wickham had been obliged to go to town on business the day before, and was not yet returned; adding, with a significant smile...

“I do not imagine her business would have called her away, just now, if she had not wished to avoid a certain gentleman here.”

This part of his intelligence, though unheard by Lazzo, was caught by Gavin, and as it assured him that Nines was not less answerable for Wickham’s absence than if his first surmise had been just, every feeling of displeasure against the former was so sharpened by immediate disappointment, that he could hardly reply with tolerable civility to the polite inquiries which he directly afterwards approached to make. Attention, forbearance, patience with Nines, was injury to Wickham. He was resolved against any sort of conversation with him and turned away with a degree of ill-humour which he could not wholly surmount even in speaking to Ada, whose blind partiality provoked him.

But Gavin was not formed for ill-humour; and though every prospect of his own was destroyed for the evening, it could not dwell long on his spirits; and having told all his griefs to Tina Chen, whom he had not seen for a week, he was soon able to make a voluntary transition to the oddities of his cousin, and to point her out to her particular notice. The two first dances, however, brought a return of distress; they were dances of mortification. Miss Morales, awkward and solemn, apologising instead of attending, and often moving wrong without being aware of it, gave him all the shame and misery which a disagreeable partner for a couple of dances can give. The moment of his release from him was ecstasy.

He danced next with an officer, and had the refreshment of talking of Wickham, and of hearing her was universally liked. When those dances were over he returned to Tina Chen, and was in conversation with her, when he found himself suddenly addressed by Nines, who took Gavin so much by surprise in the application of his hand, that, without knowing what he did, Gavin accepted him. Nines walked away again immediately, and he was left to fret over his own want to the presence of mind; Tina tried to console him.

“I dare say you will find him very agreeable.”

“Heaven forbids!” Gavin retorted “That would be the greatest misfortune of all! To find a man agreeable whom one is determined to hate! Do not wish me such an evil.”

When the dancing recommenced, however, and Reed approached to claim his hand, Tina could not help cautioning him in a whisper not to be a simpleton, and allow his fancy for Wickham to make him appear unpleasant in the eyes of a man of ten times his consequence. Gavin made no answer, and took his place in the set, amazed at the dignity to which he was arrived in being allowed to stand opposite to Nines, and reading in his neighbour’s looks their equal amazement in beholding it. They stood for some time without speaking a word, and he began to imagine that their silence was to last through the two dances, and at first was resolved not to break it; till suddenly, fancying that it would be the greater punishment to his partner to oblige Nines to talk, he made some slight observation on the dance. Nines replied and was again silent. After a pause of some minutes, Gavin addressed him a second time with, “It is your turn to say something now, Nines…I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples.”

Nines smiled and assured him that whatever Gavin wished him to say should be said.

“Very well. That will do for the present.” Gavin remarked, “Perhaps by and by I may observe that private balls are much pleasanter than public ones. But now we may be silent.”

“Do you talk by rule, then, while you are dancing?” Questioned Nines.

Gavin answered snarky “Sometimes. One must speak a little, you know. I would look odd to be entirely silent for half an hour together; and yet for the advantage of some, conversation ought to be so arranged, as that they may have the trouble of saying as little as possible.”

“Are you consulting your own feelings in the present case, or do you imagine that you are gratifying mine?”

“Both,” replied Gavin archly; “for I have always seen a great similarity in the turn of our mind. We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb.”

“This is no very striking resemblance of your own character, I am sure,” said Nines. “How near it may be to mine, I cannot pretend to say. You think it a faithful portrait undoubtedly.”

“I must not decide on my own performance,” Gavin commented.

Nines made no answer, and they were again silent till they had gone down the dance, when he asked Nines if he and his siblings did not very often walk to Meryton? He answered in the affirmative, and, unable to resist the temptation, added, “When you met us there the other day, we had just been forming a new acquaintance.”

The effect was immediate. A deeper shade of hauteur overspread Nines’ features, but he said not a word, and Gavin, though blaming himself for his own weakness, could not go on. At length, Nines spoke, and in a constrained manner said, “Mr Wickham is blessed with such happy manners as may ensure his making friends…whether he may be equally capable of retaining them, is less certain.”

“He has to be so unlucky as to lose your friendship,” replied Gavin with emphasis, “and in a manner which he is likely to suffer from all his life.”

Nines made no answer and seem desirous of changing the subject. At that moment Sir Chris Miller appeared close to them, meaning to pass through the set to the other side of the room; but on perceiving Nines he stopped with a bow superior courtesy to compliment him on his dancing and his partner

“I have been most highly gratified indeed, my dear sir. Such very superior dancing is not often seen. It is evident that you belong to the first circles. Allow me to say, however, that your fair partner does not disgrace you, and that I must hope to have this pleasure often repeated, especially when a certain desirable event, my dear Gavin,” Sir Miller compliments while glancing at his sister, North, and Ada; “shall take place. What congratulations will then flow in! I appeal to Nines…but let me not interrupt you, sir. You will not thank me for detaining you from the bewitching converse of that young man, whose bright eyes are also upbraiding me.”

The latter part of this address was scarcely heard by Nines, but Sir Miller’s allusion to his friend seemed to strike him forcibly, and his eyes were directed with a serious expression towards North and Ada, who were dancing together. Recovering himself, however, shortly, he turned to his partner, and said, “Sir Miller’s interruption has made me forget what we were talking of.”

“I do not think we were speaking at all. Sir Miller could not have interrupted any two people in the room who had less to say for themselves.” Gavin explained curtly; “We have tried two or three subjects already without success, and what we are to talk of next I cannot imagine.”

“What think you of books?” said Nines, smiling.

“Books…Oh! no. I am sure we never read the same, or not with the same feelings.” Chuckled Gavin taken slightly by surprise.

“I am sorry you think so, but if that be the case, there can at least be no want of subject. We may compare our different opinions.” Replied Nines awkwardly.

“No…I cannot talk of books in a ballroom; my head is always full of something else.”

“The present always occupies you in such scenes…does it?” said Nines, with a look of doubt.

“Yes, always,” Gavin replied, without knowing what he said, for his thoughts had wandered far from the subject, as soon afterwards appeared by his suddenly exclaiming “I remember hearing you once say, Nines, that you hardly ever forgave, that your resentment once created was unappeasable. You are very cautious, I suppose, as to its being created.”

“I am,” said Nines, with a firm voice.

“And never allow yourself to be blinded by prejudice?” Pushed Gavin.

“I hope not”

“It is particularly incumbent on those who never change their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first.” Gavin continued slowly getting a minute bit heated.

Nines glanced at Gavin a vision of perplexation running over his face; “May I ask what these questions tend?”

“Merely to the illustration of your character,” said Gavin, endeavouring to shake off his gravity. “I am trying to make it out.”

“I can readily believe,” answered Nines gravely, “that report may vary greatly with respect to me, and I could which, Mr Reed, that you were not to sketch my character at the present moment, as there is reason to fear that the performance would reflect no credit on either.”

“But is I do not take your likeness now; I may never have another opportunity.”

“I would by no means suspend any pleasure of yours,” Nines coldly replied. Gavin said no more, and they went down the other dance and parted in silence; on each side dissatisfied, though not to an equal degree, for in Nines’ breast there was a tolerable powerful feeling towards Gavin, which soon procured his pardon, and directed all his anger against another.

They had not long separated when Markus came towards Gavin, and with an expression of civil disdain thus accepted him. “So, Mr Reed, I hear you are quite delighted with Georgina Wickham! Your brother has been talking to me about him and asking me a thousand questions, and I find that the young woman forgot to tell you, among her other communications, that she was the daughter of old Wickham, the late Mr Kamski’s steward. Let me recommend you, however, as a friend, not to give implicit confidence to all her assertions: for as to Nines using him ill, it is perfectly false; for, on the contrary, he has been always remarkably kind to him, though Georgina Wickham has treated Nines in a most infamous manner. I do not know the particulars, but I know very well that Nines is not in the least to blame, that he cannot bear to hear Georgina Wickham mentioned, and that though my sister thought she could not well avoid including her in her invitation to the officers, she was excessively glad to find that she had taken herself out of the way. Georgina’s coming into the country at all us a most insolent thing, indeed, and I wonder how she could presume to do it. I pity you, Gavin, for this discovery of your favourite’s guilt; but really considering her descent, one could not expect much better.”

“Her guilt and her descent appear by your account to be the same,” said Gavin angrily; “for I have heard you accuse her of nothing worse than being the daughter of Mr Kamski’s steward, and of that, I can assure you, she informed me herself.”

“I beg your pardon.” Replied Markus, turning away with a sneer. “Excuse my interference: it was kindly meant.”

“Insolent boy!” said Gavin to himself. “You are much mistaken if you expect to influence me by such a paltry attack as this. I see nothing in it but your own wilful ignorance and the malice of Nines.” He then sought his older sister, who had undertaken to make inquiries on the same subject of Ada. North met him with a smile of such sweet complacency, a glow of such happy expression, as sufficiently marked how well she was satisfied with the occurrences of the evening. Gavin instantly read her feelings, and at that moment solicitude for Wickham, resentment again her enemies, and everything else gave way before the hope of North’s being in the fairest way for happiness.

“I want to know,” said he, with a countenance no less smiling than his sister’s, “what you have learnt about Miss Wickham. But you have been too pleasantly engaged to think of any third person; in which case you may be sure of my pardon.”

“No,” replied North, “I have not forgotten her, but I have nothing satisfactory to tell you. Ada does not know the whole of her history, and is quite ignorant of the circumstances which have principally offended Nine; but she will vouch for the good conduct, the probity, and honour of her friend, and is perfectly convinced that Miss Wickham has deserved much less attention from Nines than she has received, and I am sorry to say that by her account as well as her brother's, Miss Wickham is by no means a respectable young woman. I am afraid she has been very imprudent and has deserved to lose Nines’ regard.”

“Ada does not know Miss Wickham herself?” Questioned Gavin irately.

“No, she never saw her till the other morning at Meryton.”

“This account, then, is what she has received from Nines. I am perfectly satisfied. But what does she say of the living?”

“She does not exactly recollect the circumstances, though she has heard them from Nines more than once, but she believes that it was left to her conditionally only.”

“I have no doubt of Ada’s sincerity,” said Gavin warmly; “but you must excuse my not being convinced by assurances only. Ada’s defence of her friend was a very able one, I dare say; but said she is unacquainted with several parts of the story and has learnt the rest from that friend himself, I shall venture still to think of both gentlemen as I did before.”

He then changed the discourse to one more gratifying to each, and on which there could be no difference of sentiment. Gavin listened with delight to the happy, though modest hopes which North entertained of Ada’s regard, and said in all his power to heighten her confidence in it. On their being joined by Ada herself, Gavin withdrew to Miss Chen; to whose inquiry after the pleasantness of her last partner he had scarcely replied before Miss Morales came up to them, and told him with great exultation that she had just been so fortunate as to make a most important discovery.

“I have found out,” said she, “by a singular accident, that there is now in the room a near relation to my patroness. I happened to overhear the gentleman himself mentioning to the young lady who does the honours of this house the names of his cousin Miss Alice Williams, and of her mother Lady Kara Williams. How wonderfully these sort of things occur! Who would have thought of my meeting with, perhaps, a nephew of Lady Kara Williams in this assembly! I am most thankful that the discovery is made in time for me to pay my respects to him, which I am now going to do, and trust he will excuse my not having done it before. My total ignorance of the connect must plead my apology.

“You are not going to introduce yourself to Nines!” Gavin demanded harshly with a low growl appearing in his voice.

“Indeed I am. I shall entreat his pardon for not having done it earlier. I believe him to be Lady Kara’s nephew. It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well yesterday se’nnight.”

Gavin tried hard to dissuade her from such a scheme, assuring her that Nines would consider her addressing him without introduction as an impertinent freedom, rather than a compliment to his aunt; that it was not in the least necessary there should be any notice on either side; and that if it were, it must belong to Nines, the superior in consequence, to begin the acquaintance. Miss Morales listened to him with the determined air of following her own inclination, and, when he ceased speaking replied thus: “My dear Gavin, I have the highest opinion in the world of your excellent judgement in all matters within the scope of your understanding; but permit me to say that there must be a wide difference between the established forms of ceremony amongst the laity and those which regulate the clergy; for, give me leave to observe that I consider the clerical office as equal in point of dignity with the highest rank in the kingdom…provided that a proper humility of behaviour is at the same time maintained. You must, therefore, allow me to follow the dictates of my conscience on this occasion, which leads me to perform what I look on as a point of duty. Pardon me for neglecting to profit by your advice, which on every other subject shall be my constant guide, though in the case before us I consider myself more fitted by education and habitual study to decide on what is right than a young man like yourself.” And with a low bow, she left him to attack Nines, whose reception of her advances he eagerly watched, and whose astonishment at being so addressed was very evident. His cousin prefaced her speech with a solemn bow: and though he could not hear a word of it, he felt as if hearing it all, and saw in the motion of her lips the words “apology”, “Hunsford”, and “Lady Kara Williams”. It vexed him to see her expose herself to such a man. Nines was eyeing her with unrestrained wonder, and when at last Miss Morales allowed him to speak, replied with an air of distant civility. Miss Morales, however, was not discouraged from speaking again, and Nines’ contempt seemed abundantly increasing with the length of her second speech, and at the end of it, he only made him a slight bow and moved another way. Miss Morales then returned to Gavin.

“I have no reason, I assure you,” said she, “to be dissatisfied with my reception. Nines seemed much pleased with the attention. He answered me with the utmost civility and even paid me the compliment of saying that he was so well convinced of Lady Kara’s discernment as to be certain she could never bestow a favour unworthily. I was really a very handsome thought. Upon the whole, I am much pleased with him.”

As Gavin has no longer any interest of his own to pursue, he turned her attention almost entirely on her sister and Ada; and the train of agreeable reflections which his observations gave birth to made him perhaps almost as happy as North. He saw her in idea settled in that very house, in all the felicity which a marriage of true affection could bestow; and he felt capable, under such circumstances, of endeavouring even to like Ada’s brother. His mother’s thoughts he plainly saw were bent the same way, and he determined not to venture near her, lest he might hear too much. When they sat down to supper, therefore, he considered it a most unlucky perverseness which placed them within one of each other; and deeply was he vexed to find that his mother was talking to Lady Miller freely, openly, and of nothing else but of her expectation that North would be soon married to Ada. It was an animating subject, and Mrs Reed seemed incapable of fatigue while enumerating the advantages of the match. Her being such a charming young woman, and so rich, and living but three miles from them, were the first points of self-gratulation; and then it was such a comfort to think how fond the brother was of North, and to be certain that they must desire the connection as much as she could do. It was, moreover, such a promising thing for her younger sons, as North’s marrying so greatly must throw them in the way of other rich men; and lastly, it was so pleasant at her time of life to be able to consign her single sons to the care of their sister, that she might not be obliged to go into company more than she liked. It was necessary to make this circumstance a matter of pleasure, because in such occasions it is the etiquette; but no one was less likely than Mrs Reed to find comfort in staying at home at any period of her life. She concluded with many good wishes that Lady Miller might soon be equally fortunate, though evidently and triumphantly believing there was no chance of it.

In vain did Gavin endeavour to check the rapidity of his mother’s words, or persuade her to describe her felicity in a less audible whisper; for, to his inexpressible vexation, he could perceive that the chief of it was overheard by Nines, who sat opposite to them. His mother only scolded him for being nonsensical.

“What is Nines to me, pray, that I should be afraid of him? I am sure we owe him no such particular civility as to obliged to say nothing he may not like to hear.”

“For heaven’s sake, madam, speak lower…What advantage can it be to you to offend Nines? You will never recommend yourself to his friend by so doing.”

Nothing that he could say, had any influence. His mother would talk on her views in the same intelligible tone. Gavin blushed and blushed again with shame and vexation. He could not help frequently glancing his eye at Nines, though every glance convinced him of what he dreaded; for though he was not always looking at Gavin’s, he was convinced that Nines’ attention was invariably fixed by her. The expression of his face changed gradually from indignant contempt to a composed and steady gravity.

At length, however, Mrs Reed had no more to say; and Lady Miller, who had been long yawning at the repetition of delighted which she saw no likelihood of sharing, was left to the comforts of cold ham and chicken. Gavin now began to revive. But not long was the interval of tranquillity; for when supper was over, singing was talked of, and she had the mortification of seeing Connor, after very little entreaty, preparing to oblige the company. By many significant looks and silent entreaties, did he endeavour to prevent such proof of complaisance…but in vain: Connor would not understand them; such an opportunity of exhibiting was delightful to him, and he began his song. Gavin’s eyes were fixed on him with most painful sensations, and he watched her progress through the several stanzas with an impatience which was very ill rewarded at their close; for Connor, on receiving, amongst the of the table, the hint of a hope that she might be prevailed on to a favour them again, after the pause of half a minute began another. Connor’s powers were by no means fitted for such a display: his voice was weak, and his manner affected. Gavin was in agonies. He looked at North, to see how she core it; but North was very composedly talking to Ada. She looked at her brother, and saw him making signs of derision, and at Nines, who continued, however, impenetrably grave. He looked at his father to entreat his inference, lest Connor should be singing all night. He took the hint, and when Connor had finished his second song, said aloud “That will do extremely well, child. You have delighted us long enough. Let the other young ladies have time to exhibit.

Connor, though pretending not to hear, was somewhat disconcerted; and Gavin, sorry for him, and sorry for his father’s speech, was afraid his anxiety had done no good. Others of the party were now applied to.

“If I,” said Miss Morales, “were so fortunate as to be able to sing. I should have great pleasure, I am sure, in obliging the company with an air; for I consider music a very innocent diversion and perfectly compatible with the profession of a clergyman. I do not mean, however, to assert that we can be justified in devoting too much of our time to music, for there are certainly other things to be attended to. The rector of a parish has much to do. In the first place, she must make such an agreement for tythes as may be beneficial to herself and not offensive to her patron. She must write her own sermons, and the time that remains will not be too much for her parish duties, and the care and improvement of her dwelling, which she cannot be excused from making as comfortable as possible.” Morales continues: “ And I do not think it of light importance that she should have attentive and conciliatory manners towards everybody, especially towards those to who should omit an occasion of testifying her respects towards anybody connected with the family.” And with a bow to Nines, she concluded her speech, which had been spoken so loud as to be heard by half the room. Many stared, many smiled; but no one looked more amused than Mr Reed himself, while his wife seriously commended Miss Morales for having spoken so sensibly, and observed in a half-whisper to Lady Miller, that she was remarkably clever, good kind of young woman.

To Gavin it appeared, that had his family made an agreement to expose themselves as much as they could during the evening, it would have been impossible for them to play their parts with more spirit of finer success; and happy did he think if for Ada and his sister that some of the exhibition had escaped her notice, and that her feelings were not of a sort to be much distressed by the folly which she must have witnessed. That her brother and Nines, however, should have such an opportunity of ridiculing his relations, was bad enough, and he could not determine whether the silent contempt of the gentleman, or the insolent smiles of the other, were more intolerable.

The rest of the evening brought him little amusement. He was teased by Miss Morales, who continued most perseveringly by his side, and though she could not prevail with him to dance with her again, put it out of his power to dance with others. In vain did he entreat her to stand up with somebody else and offer to introduce her to any young lady in the room. She assured him that, as to dancing, she was perfectly indifferent to it; that her chief object was, by delicate attentions, to recommended herself to him, and that she should, therefore, make a point of remaining close to him the whole evening. There was no arguing upon such a project. He owed his greatest relief to his friend Miss Chen, who often joined them, and good-naturedly engaged Miss Morales’ conversation to herself.

He was at least free from the offence of Nines’ farther notice; though often standing within a very short distance of him, quite disengaged, he never came near enough to speak. Gavin felt it to the probable consequence of his allusion to Miss Wickham and rejoiced in it.

The Longbourn party were the last of all the company to depart, and by a manoeuvre of Mrs Reed, had to wait for their carriages a quarter of an hour after everybody else was gone, which gave them time to see how heartily they were wished away by some of the family. Mrs Hurst and her sister scarcely opened their mouths, except to complain of fatigue, and were evidently impatient to have the house to themselves. They repulsed every attempt of Mrs Reed at conversation, and by so doing threw a languor over the whole party, which was very little relieved by the long speeches of Miss Morales, who was complimenting Ada and her brother on the elegance of their entertainment, and the hospitality and politeness which had marked their behaviour to their guests. Nines said nothing at all. Mr Reed, in equal silence, was enjoying the scene. Ada and North were standing together, a little detached from the rest, and talked only to each other. Gavin preserved as steady a silence as either Mrs Hurst or Markus, and even Lazzo was too much fatigued to utter more than the occasional exclamation of “Lord, how tired I am!” accompanied by a violent yawn.

When at length they arose to take leave, Mrs Reed was most pressingly civil in her hope of seeing the whole family soon at Longbourn, and addressing herself particularly to Ada, to assure her how happy she would make them by eating a family dinner with them at any time, without the ceremony of a formal invitation. Ada was all grateful pleasure, and she readily engaged for taking the earliest opportunity of waiting on her after her return from London, whither he was obliged to go the next day for a short time.

Mrs Reed was perfectly satisfied, and quitted the house under the delightful persuasion that, allowing for the necessary preparations of settlements, new carriages, and wedding clothes, she should undoubtedly see her daughter settled at Netherfield in the course of three or four months. Of having another son married Miss Morales, she thought with equal certainty, and with considerable, though not equal, pleasure. Gavin was the least dear to her of all her children; and though the woman and the match were quite good enough for him, the worth of each was eclipsed by Ada and Netherfield.


End file.
